Don't Let Me Go
by VoicesOffCamera
Summary: Soda recognized the signs of what was about to happen just before it did. He realized that he really should have seen it coming the moment the guy walked in the store, but he just hadn't been paying enough attention and at this point he had no time to react. All of a sudden Soda was staring down the barrel of a handgun that was pointed directly at his face.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Well, this idea started off as one-shot, and just kinda morphed into this lengthy story that will have a lot of chapters and action. I've been working very hard on this, so I hope that you like it! Please review and I will be encouraged to update often! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders, nor do I own the quotes/song lyrics that will begin each chapter of this story.

**Chapter One**

_"Live with a man 40 years. Share his house, his meals. Speak on every subject. Then tie him up, and hold him over the volcano's edge. And on that day, you will finally meet the man."_

_- Shan Yu_

Sodapop Curtis yawned loudly. It had been a very slow night. Weeknights at the DX station were always pretty slow, but it felt like they hadn't had a customer for hours. Soda leaned his elbows on the counter, his head bent over a car magazine that he was idly flipping through, scanning over the pictures rather than actually reading the articles. A few hours earlier him and his best friend, Steve Randle, had played a game of "rock, paper, scissor" to see who would be stuck in the store for the night since it was only the two of them working tonight. Soda had lost.

As he heard the bell above the door chirp he glanced up at the clock on the wall. There were only about six minutes left before they could close the gas station for the night and he hoped that whoever was coming in this late wasn't going to take long. He didn't want to stay at work any later than he had to, he was itching to get out and do something. He figured Steve would be in from the garage any minute to help him close up and clock out.

Soda looked over to see who had entered the store. It wasn't someone he recognized, but that wasn't terribly unusual or cause for alarm. The man was probably a few years older than his brother Darry. He had on beat up old blue jeans and a worn and baggy brown coat zipped up to just under his chin. He looked a little rough, but that was pretty normal for this side of town and Soda wasn't concerned.

The man wandered in but didn't immediately head for the counter. Soda sighed, seeing that the late hour wasn't going to make this guy hurry up. He watched as the man poked around the magazine rack for a few minutes.

"Is there somethin' I can help you with?" Soda finally spoke up. "We're about to close."

The man grunted but turned and headed for the counter without picking up a magazine. Soda recognized the signs of what was about to happen just before it did. He realized that he really should have seen it coming the moment the guy walked in the door and started wandering around the store, but he just hadn't been paying enough attention and at this point he had no time to react.

All of a sudden Soda was staring down the barrel of a handgun that was pointed directly at his face. He felt his stomach drop down to somewhere around his feet. He had been in a lot of rough situations before, but in his seventeen years of life he had never had a gun pointed at him like this. He realized that with one twitch of this guy's index finger he could be dead in an instant. The thought terrified him. He very slowly raised his hands up off the counter with his palms out defensively to show that he would cooperate as he kept his face as blank as possible in an attempt to hide his fear.

"Money," the man spat. "Empty the register. Now."

Soda just nodded, not trusting his own voice not to betray how afraid he really was. He would give this guy anything he wanted at this point just to have this over with and behind him. He turned very slowly and reached for the register, not wanting to make any sudden moves.

"Hurry!" the man hissed.

It was at that moment that Soda realized that the gun wasn't exactly steady as it pointed at him. The man looked anxious and twitchy. Armed robbery was clearly new for him. Soda inwardly groaned. As odd as he knew it sounded, he would have rather had someone more experienced robbing the gas station. If this man was nervous that meant that if he was at all spooked he could lose his head and start firing. As Soda quickly started pulling the money out of the register his mind suddenly flashed back to Dally. It had been about five months since they had watched him shot to death because of his unloaded heater. Soda felt himself hoping that maybe this guy was bluffing too and his gun was empty. Not that he wanted to test that theory.

"Hey, Soda, you almost…"

Soda felt himself go cold and his heart, which had been pounding out of control, practically stopped as Steve walked into the store and stopped short, taking in the scene in front of him. For a moment everything was frozen and time seemed to stand still as they all waited for what was going to happen next.

The gunman spun around as he moved toward the door and his gun went off, all Soda's hopes of a bluff vanishing in that instant. Steve dove out of the way as the glass in the door behind him shattered, but he was still between the gun and the door, unintentionally trapping the robber in the store. Soda's instincts and adrenaline kicked in as he went to vault himself over the counter in an attempt to tackle the guy, hoping to get him before he shot at his best friend again.

Just as he was yanking himself up onto the counter the man spun back around and Soda heard three distinctive shots ring out in his ears. He felt something hit him hard in the chest as he was suddenly falling backwards. He was only vaguely aware of stumbling backwards and until he hit the wall behind him. Everything was still for several seconds and Soda found it strange that he couldn't seem to focus on anything that was going on around him. Was Steve okay? Was the gunman still in the store? Slowly Soda felt himself sliding down the wall until suddenly he realized that he was sitting on the floor. His breath came in shallow gasps and he felt like he wasn't getting enough oxygen. He tried to take a deep breath but his chest cried out in agonizing protest.

"Soda!"

Soda felt his head fall to one side and saw Steve rushing toward him, falling to his knees and sliding the last couple feet across the tile floor to come to rest beside his fallen friend. Soda tried to take in his surroundings but suddenly the world was spinning around him and everything seemed to be slipping in and out of focus. Even when Steve spoke to him, he sounded like he was speaking through a bubble of some sort, his voice strangely muted.

"Soda, can you hear me?" Even through the haze, Soda could tell that Steve's voice sounded panicked. Soda couldn't remember a time where Steve had actually sounded like that. He looked up at Steve who was now crouching next to him and let out a low groan, unable to string any words together. "Hang on."

Soda felt panic start to rise in him as Steve suddenly disappeared from his side. He tried to reach for him, but every little movement sent pain flying through his chest. He moaned loudly and settled for trying to stay as still as possible, hoping that Steve would be right back. Soda was starting to comprehend that he had been shot. His thoughts flew to Ponyboy and Darry. They had all been through so much in the past year. Only a month ago they had observed the one year anniversary of their parents' death. It was an easy date to remember since ironically enough it was the same day that their wedding anniversary had been. He couldn't leave his brothers now, this couldn't be happening right now. He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain and prayed to see his brothers again. This just couldn't be the end.

"C'mon, Soda, stay with me."

Soda felt a tapping on his cheek and he pried his eyes open again, looking around frantically, gasping for breath once more as his consciousness became more aware of the physical world once again. No matter how much air he sucked in it never seemed to be enough. Steve was back, crouching next to him. Doing his best to ignore the pain Soda reached up a hand and grasped at Steve, desperate for something solid to hold on to, as if he could cling to life even as he sat in a pool of his own blood. Steve grabbed Soda's hand and squeezed almost painfully tight, but Soda was grateful for the anchor. Anyway, it was nothing compared to the pain that was beginning to radiate throughout his chest with every breath he took. Soda found it a little strange that the pain was getting so much worse as the minutes dragged on.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay, alright?" Steve said, sounding desperate. Soda vaguely wondered if his friend really believed that. "Just keep your eyes open, the ambulance is on the way."

Soda finally realized that Steve had left him in order to call for help. He knew that made sense but his mind felt clouded and he was finding it hard to think clearly.

"D-Darry," Soda moaned. "P-Pony…" He wanted his brothers here with him too. He wanted to tell them how much he cared and loved both of them. He wanted to tell Pony to be strong and to tell Darry to enjoy life more.

"I tried calling your house, but no one answered," Steve said worriedly. He cursed loudly. "Those two never go out and they pick tonight of all nights to be unreachable!"

Soda sputtered a laugh, not quite sure why he found that funny. The noise only seemed to worry Steve more. He kept glancing over his shoulder anxiously and cursing under his breath. Soda felt his head heavily pulling to one side and everything started to fade away. He felt a hand on his chin moving it so he was looking back at Steve.

"Look at me," Steve said firmly. "Keep your eyes open, okay? Please Soda, just stay with me." There was a hint of pleading in his voice.

Soda did his best to do as his friend wanted but he was starting to feel tired and large black spots were clouding the edges of his vision. Finally he registered the sound of sirens approaching the gas station. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it had seemed like it had taken an awfully long time for them to get there. Steve went to stand up but Soda used all his remaining energy to clutch tighter to his friend. Steve looked down at him questioningly.

"Don't… go," Soda managed in barely a whisper. He was afraid and desperately didn't want to be alone right now. Somehow he thought that if Steve walked away right now he might never see him again.

"I ain't gonna leave you," Steve assured him. "But I gotta flag down the paramedics. We're kinda hidden back here behind the counter." Soda wasn't comforted and refused to release his grip. "Here, grab on to my jeans." He moved Soda's hand so that he could grab the bottom of Steve's pant leg. "You can hang on to me while I stand up. That way I can't go nowhere."

Soda hung on for dear life as Steve stood up and called to the paramedics. The next few minutes were a complete blur. Suddenly he was surrounded by strange people all talking loudly and poking and prodding at him. He was aware of Steve's hand back in his and he desperately hung to it. He felt himself being lifted up into the air and he cried out as his chest felt like it was being ripped apart at the movement. He was aware of Steve talking somewhere near his head but he couldn't comprehend anything that was being said. Soda was laying flat on his back, someone was cutting off his shirt and putting a painful amount of pressure on his chest. He was aware of tears leaking down his cheeks, but he couldn't bring himself to care about crying in front of strangers.

Suddenly he felt a cool breeze and water falling down on top of him. They were outside. It had started to rain. These were his last thoughts before darkness finally took over and he knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Wow, I'm so excited by how many reviews and follows this story got so quickly! Thanks so much everyone, it means a lot to me and makes me more determined to make this story awesome. :) Please continue to review and let me know what you think!

**Chapter Two**

"_This was what love meant after all: sacrifice and selflessness. It did not mean … a happy ending, but the knowledge that another's well-being is more important than one's own."_

_- Melissa de la Cruz_

"I _need_ to use the goddamn phone!" Steve raged for the ump-teenth time.

"I'm sorry sir, but all our phones are occupied right now," the nurse behind the desk repeated with an annoyingly calm tone. "I will let you know the minute one frees up."

Steve had been pacing around the crowded ER waiting room for ten minutes trying to get a hold of a phone. Soda hadn't looked good at all on the ride over to the hospital. When the paramedics had lifted him up onto the stretcher he had cried out so horribly that for a moment Steve, the tough-as-nails hood, thought he was going to vomit. Then he had seen tears running down Soda's face. That had shaken him almost as much as the scream did. Soda didn't cry in front of strangers. Ever.

Soda had lost consciousness when they loaded him into the ambulance and had been so unnaturally still that Steve was forced to ask the paramedics if he was still alive. He hadn't been able to shake the feeling that he was staring at his best friend's corpse. Thankfully they had assured him that although Soda was in bad shape, he was still alive. Steve knew that if he didn't let Darry know what had happened as soon as humanly possible he would probably skin him alive. Not to mention he had to do something other than just stand around and wait.

"Family of Sodapop Curtis?"

Steve whipped around to see that a nurse that had just come out into the waiting room was looking around curiously.

"They're not here yet," Steve said, approaching her. "I haven't been able to get ahold of them. Is Soda okay?"

She looked at him skeptically, clearly thinking something over. "You came in with him?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's my best friend," he confirmed, hoping that would be enough for her to give him some information, though he knew better than to really believe that it would be. Soda was family to him, they were brothers, but he knew the hospital staff wouldn't see it that way.

"I can't disclose anything specific to anyone other than family," she said. Steve's spirits fell, even though he had a feeling that had been coming. "But I can tell you this. He is currently in surgery and he has lost a lot of blood. Unfortunately our blood bank is critically low right now and we don't have enough of his blood type." Steve felt himself pale. Did that mean that Soda was going to die? Because the hospital didn't have enough blood for him? How did that even make any sense?

"So… so what can you do?" Steve finally stuttered. There had to be something that could be done. He had a momentary fleeting image of running to the store on the corner to pick up some more blood like a person would pick up a carton of milk. _If only…_

"If we can find someone with a compatible blood type we can do a direct donation," she explained. "Family usually has the best chance of matching up."

Steve inwardly cursed Darry and Pony once again for not being reachable tonight of all nights. "If I can get near a phone I can try and reach his brothers again," Steve said quickly, glancing back at the crowded reception desk. For a brief moment he considered pulling out his blade and seeing if that could help him jump up the line to get to a phone.

"They might not be able to make it here in time," the nurse said. "Sodapop needs a transfusion as soon as possible." Steve's head whirled at this statement. Soda must be even worse off than he thought. "Do you know what _your_ blood type is?"

Steve just stared at her blankly for several long seconds, slow to comprehend what she was saying. "Uh, no," he finally said lamely. Was that really something some people knew right off the top of their heads?

"Have you visited this hospital for any reason?" she persisted. "If you have records here it'll only take me a minute to look it up. Only if you want me too of course…" She looked a little unsure and Steve realized that he wasn't giving her the reaction that she had been looking for. He was still in a state of shock and he was having a hard time keeping up with the events of the night.

"Yes!" Steve said, a little harshly. He took a breath to calm himself, not wanting to frighten this woman who was obviously trying very hard to help his best friend. "Yes, please check." If there was anything he could do for Soda he would do it in a heartbeat.

"What's your full name and address?" she asked.

Steve rattled off the information as she scribbled it down quickly. She told him to wait there and she would be right back before disappearing through a set of double doors.

Steve felt numb as he went over the events of that evening once again, questioning everything he had done. Maybe he should have kept trying to call the Curtis house back at the gas station after he had called the rescue rather than just giving up after that one try. If he had been able to get a hold of Darry or Pony they would have been here by now and surely one of them would be a match for Soda's blood type. What if Soda died tonight because Steve didn't try hard enough to contact his brothers? Or maybe he should have done more to try and slow Soda's blood loss while they had waited for the ambulance. He could have found some sort of cloth or something and tried to plug the hole in his friend's chest to slow the bleeding. He also realized, though not for the first time that night, that if he had not picked that exact moment to walk into the store the robber would have just taken the money and run and Soda wouldn't be fighting for his life right now. If Soda didn't make it Steve wasn't sure how he was going to live with this guilt.

Steve was so lost in thought that he hardly noticed when the nurse came back.

"Good news, you're a match," she said quickly. Steve felt stunned at this news – luck hadn't exactly been with him all night, he really hadn't expected it to start now – but he forced his legs to move as the nurse indicated that he follow her.

They hurried back to a large room with dozens of beds divided by thin curtains, most of which were occupied. The room was louder than Steve would have expected, with people moving around quickly to help patients with various illnesses and injuries. Children were crying, machines were beeping, nurses and doctors called across the room to each other. It certainly wasn't helping the tension headache that he was developing.

The nurse indicated an empty bed and Steve took the hint and climbed onto it, grateful to get off of his feet. She didn't waste any time at all rolling up his sleeve and cleaning his arm. She quickly wrapped an elastic band around the top of his bicep before poking a needle into him. Steve barely felt it as his mind struggled to keep up with the sudden turn of events. As if by magic the tube at the end of the needle turned a deep red.

After a few minutes Steve started to feel his head swim and for a moment he thought that the stress of the night was finally catching up with him. Then he realized that the bag at the end of the long tube was almost full. He watched with a dazed look on his face as the nurse unhooked the bag. She handed the full bag to another nurse who hurried off. The nurse didn't immediately remove the needle though and she looked a little unsure as she studied him for a moment.

"Normally we only take one pint from a donor," she said finally. "But if you feel up to it, I'd like to take one more pint. Sodapop really needs as much as he can get."

Steve vividly remembered how much of Soda's blood had covered the wall and the floor in the gas station, fighting the feeling of queasiness that came along with that knowledge. He didn't find it surprising at all that the small bag of his own blood that they had taken wouldn't be enough.

"Please take as much as he needs," Steve consented, indicating the tube still trailing out of his arm. He didn't miss how tired his voice sounded. He wished he could have sounded as convicted as he felt. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for Soda, especially if it meant saving his life. He didn't even consider asking if there were any risks for himself. Honestly the thought never even crossed his mind. All he knew was that he had to do anything he could to keep the gang from attending yet another funeral.

The nurse nodded as she quickly hooked up the second bag to the other end of the tube. Then she looked up at Steve and suddenly seemed to realize that he wasn't looking so great himself. "Have you eaten recently?"

Steve racked his brain for a moment. "Not for a while," he finally said vaguely. He hadn't eaten since lunch and even then he only had a candy bar and a Pepsi. He had eaten lunch with Soda before they had gone to work. They had laughed and joked and flirted with a couple of cute girls they had run into. At this point it seemed like a lifetime ago.

She nodded. "Just hang in there for a few more minutes and I'll have someone grab you something from the cafeteria."

"Yeah, okay," Steve mumbled, not terribly concerned about the subject. He leaned back heavily on the bed, the top of which was tilted up so that he was still in a seated position. He felt exhausted and overwhelmed, but he knew that he wouldn't sleep until he got to see Soda. He was doing his best to not think about the gunshots, not to think about how Soda had looked surprised and confused as he had stumbled backwards while blood quickly soaked through the front of his DX shirt, not to think about how Soda had fallen out of sight and how he had been convinced that he had just watched his best friend die.

Another few minutes passed and another full bag of Steve's blood was taken away just as he received a tray of cookies, a fruit cup and a cup of apple juice from an orderly. After the events of that evening Steve didn't have much of an appetite, but he knew that after giving that much blood he had to eat something in order to stay conscious. He downright refused to pass out. He needed to be awake to hear any news about Soda's condition.

"How are you feeling?" the nurse asked, returning after he had consumed everything on his tray.

"Fine," Steve said. His head wasn't swimming anymore, although his stomach was now in a very uncomfortable knot. "Do you know anything else about Soda's condition?"

The nurse sadly shook her head. "He's still in surgery," she said simply. Steve knew that she wasn't allowed to tell him anything else anyway but he still couldn't help but ask just in case. It was at that point he suddenly remembered what he was supposed to be doing as well as the only way he would get any more information. He needed to get Soda's brothers here.

"Do you know where I can get my hands on a phone?" he asked. "His brother will kill me with his bare hands if I don't get a hold of him soon and tell him what happened."

"Sure, come with me," the nurse said with a kind smile.

Steve slowly slid off of the bed, fighting some mild vertigo as he stood, and followed her to a nearby nurse's station. She pulled a phone from behind the desk and placed it on top of the counter so that he could reach it. Steve immediately grabbed it and punched in the Curtis' number. He leaned heavily on the counter with both elbows as he listened to the dull ringing. Just the walk over from the hospital bed had seemed exhausting and he was feeling as if he might collapse at any moment. Donating that much blood had taken more out of him than he thought it would. Or maybe it was just the events of the night taking a toll on him.

"Hello?"

Steve jumped. The phone had rung so many times that he hadn't been expecting anyone to answer.

"Pony?" he said, gripping tight to the receiver, hardly believing he finally got a hold of someone. "Pony, its Steve. Is Darry there?"

"Steve?" Pony sounded confused. "Where are you?"

"Ponyboy, I _really_ need to talk to Darry," Steve insisted.

"Why, what's going on?" Pony asked.

Steve wanted to reach through the phone and belt the kid. He didn't have the time or the energy for this, and Pony wasn't the one he wanted to break the news to. He was just a kid after all. "Pony." His voice was low and dangerous. "Get. Darry."

There was a long silence and after several minutes Steve started to wonder if Pony had hung up on him. If he had Steve swore that he would beat him to a pulp, even if he was Soda's kid brother.

"Steve?"

Steve was immensely relieved to finally hear Darry's voice. He sounded groggy, like he had just woken up. As Steve glanced up at a clock on the wall and saw how late it was getting he realized that there was a good chance that Darry had been asleep. It wasn't unusual for Darry to already be in bed when they returned to the house after a closing shift at the DX. "Darry, I need you to get down to the hospital right now."

"Why, what happened?" Darry asked, his voice suddenly wide awake and tense.

"It's Soda," Steve said. "I… I don't know any specifics yet…"

"Is he okay?" Darry sounded just as desperate Steve felt.

"I… Honestly, Darry, I don't know," he admitted reluctantly, tiredly running a hand over his face. "They won't tell me anythin' 'cause I'm not family. But… well, truthfully he wasn't doin' too good when we got here. You really need to get down here. Fast."

"We'll be right there," Darry said quickly before there was a click and the line went dead.

Steve slowly hung up the phone. He was glad that Darry hadn't insisted on any specifics on what had actually happened. That wasn't something he really wanted to explain over the phone. He wandered back out to the waiting room and settled himself into an isolated corner as far away from everyone else as possible before lighting up a cigarette. He inhaled deeply, dreading having to explain the situation when Darry arrived.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Lights will guide you home_

_And ignite your bones_

_And I will try to fix you_

_- Coldplay (Fix You)_

Darry slammed down the phone and ran for the kitchen.

"Darry, what's going on?" Pony asked. He had stood just a few steps away from Darry while he had been on the phone and had watched the entire exchange, but obviously couldn't tell what was going on from just the one side of the conversation that he had heard.

"Get your coat," Darry said, hurrying back into the living room with his keys. He didn't have time to explain any further and thankfully Pony knew well enough to simply follow his orders right now. Darry practically ran out the door and was only vaguely aware of Pony hurrying behind him in the pouring rain. They both jumped into the truck and Darry tore out of the driveway. They rode for several minutes in complete silence.

"Darry, where are we going?" Pony finally asked in a small voice that rang out clearly in the silent cab of the truck.

"The hospital," Darry said flatly, his eyes trained on the road ahead of him.

"Is it Soda?" Pony guessed. Darry nodded tensely. Pony took a deep breath in an obvious attempt to calm himself. "What happened?"

"Steve didn't really say," Darry said, knowing full well he really didn't give Steve a lot of time to explain. Steve was a tough kid. It took a lot to shake him up. And even over the phone Darry had been able to tell that he was shook up real bad. Whatever had happened, it was very serious. And all Darry knew was that he had to get to his brother as fast as he could.

They seemed to hit a record number of red lights on the way to the hospital, not to mention being stuck behind more than one person driving overly slowly on the wet roads, but they finally made it to the hospital. Darry hardly remembered where he parked the truck as he hurried inside with Pony trailing just behind him. The waiting room outside the emergency room was crowded as they entered and it took them several minutes to finally spot Steve smoking in a corner. Darry had a sudden painful flashback to five months ago when he and Soda had rushed to the hospital to find Pony smoking in the waiting room. He hoped this situation would turn out better than that one. Just twenty-four hours after finding Pony they had lost two of their gang.

"What happened?" Darry demanded as he fell into a seat next to Steve. As he got a good look at Soda's best friend he noticed how pale he was. Not just pale from being distressed, he looked sickly pale. Darry made an effort to soften his tone, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steve said dully. He sighed and then took another long drag of his weed and Darry waited impatiently for an explanation. He had yet to even look up at either Darry or Pony. "The DX got robbed tonight," Steve started bluntly. "Soda was workin' the store… I wasn't in there so I dunno exactly what happened… all I know is I walked in and Soda was emptyin' the register and there was this guy… he had a heater pointed at him…" He let his thought trail off, and although his voice had the same flat, expressionless tone throughout his short explanation, his hand was shaking ever so slightly as he took another drag off his cigarette.

Darry felt his chest tighten up as he saw where the story was going. Pony, who was sitting in the seat next to him, leaning in to hear the story, let out a strangled sound as he seemed to realize it too.

"Have you seen him since he got here?" Darry asked urgently.

Steve shook his head. "All they told me was that he was in surgery," he said, staring down at his shoes. "They said he lost a lot of blood and that they didn't have enough here to give him."

"How can a hospital not have enough blood?" Pony demanded, sounding shocked.

Steve just shrugged. "You got me, kid," he said, still not looking up. "But I guess I had the right blood type so they just took it from me and gave it right to him."

Darry nodded. That explained the paleness. "How was he… when he got here?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to the question but he knew that he had to ask it.

"He fell unconscious when they loaded him into the ambulance," Steve mumbled. "But the paramedics said he was still alive. They wouldn't tell me much more than that." Suddenly Steve looked up and glared at them. "Where the hell were you two anyway?" he asked, though he couldn't seem to muster up much force behind his tone. "I called the house from the gas station right away but no one answered."

"Pony went to a movie with Two-Bit," Darry answered dully. "I was… asleep." He knew that it was a lame excuse and he felt indescribably guilty. He had been so tired that not even the phone had been able to wake him. He had worked a lot of overtime that week. He ran his hand through his hair and stood up. "I'm gonna go see if I can find out anything. Pony, you stay here."

He crossed the waiting room and stood anxiously in the line in front of the nurse's station.

"Can I help you?" a nurse asked when it was finally Darry's turn.

"Yes, my brother was brought in a while ago and I wondering if I could find out what kind of condition he's in?" Darry explained as calmly as he could.

"Name?"

"Sodapop Curtis."

She shuffled through a few files in front of her then scanned over a document. Her features gave nothing away as she looked up at him. "Wait right here," she said. "I need to page someone to come talk to you."

Darry's heart sank. That didn't sound good. He stood to the side of the desk and waited several minutes until finally the nurse pointed him out to another nurse.

"You're related to Sodapop Curtis?" the second nurse said as she approached him.

"I'm his legal guardian," Darry confirmed. "Darrel Curtis." He kept his features as cool as possible but his knees felt weak and he wondered vaguely if he would be able to remain standing if this woman was about to tell him that his younger brother was gone forever. How could this be happening? Hadn't be been through enough just in the past year alone?

"Sodapop is currently in critical but stable condition," she informed him. "I can't give you a lot of specifics; you'll have to speak with the doctor when he comes out of surgery." Darry felt the tension release ever so slightly. Soda was going to come out of surgery. That sounded like good news. "What I can tell you is that your brother lost quite a bit of blood. He stabilized a lot after we gave him the donation from his friend, but he really needs another pint and it wouldn't be safe to take any more from his friend." Darry nodded, wondering how much Steve had already given. "I went ahead and pulled your chart since you were listed as his emergency contact," she went on. "Unfortunately you are not a match for his blood type." Darry's stomach dropped at this news. He couldn't help. "I saw that you have another minor listed under your care?"

Darry nodded, wondering how long this nurse had spent going through files and figuring all this out. "Yeah, my other brother," he confirmed. "Ponyboy."

"Yes, Ponyboy," she repeated the name a little unsurely. "Well he is a match for Sodapop's blood type. If he is here with you, he would be able to donate directly to his brother right now."

Darry's mind was reeling with this information. Was it really okay for him to take blood from one of his younger brothers and give it to the other? This wasn't a decision he ever thought he'd have to make.

"Donating blood is a very routine procedure here," the nurse assured him, sensing his hesitation. "There would be no danger to your other brother as long as he consents."

"Okay," Darry said nodding. He turned and headed back to where Steve and Pony were waiting anxiously.

"Well?" Pony asked nervously.

"He's in critical but stable condition," Darry recited. "We won't know much more than that until he gets out of surgery and we can talk to the doctor. But she did say that he needs another pint of blood."

"I can give more," Steve said immediately.

Darry shook his head, eyeing how incredibly pale that Steve still looked. "The nurse said that it wasn't safe to take any more from you." By the look on Steve's face he could tell that he really didn't care about his own well-being right now and if he was given the option he would give more blood anyway. "She already looked at mine and Pony's charts… I'm not a match, but Pony, you are."

Pony looked a little startled. "I am?"

Darry nodded. "It's up to you, but…"

"I'll donate," Pony said immediately. Darry knew that he would do anything to help Soda. They all would.

"Good, thanks kiddo," Darry said, relieved. "C'mon, they'll take you back right now." As Pony stood, Darry studied Steve wearily, suddenly unsure about leaving him alone. "Why don't you come with us, Steve," he suggested. Steve was about to protest but Darry cut him off. "That way when the doctor comes and finds us you'll know right away how Soda is doing."

Steve nodded and stamped out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray and then followed them back to where the nurse was waiting. They all trooped back into the large emergency room. They were immediately led over to an empty bed and Pony climbed onto it.

"Since he's underage, I need you to sign a consent form," the nurse said, handing Darry a clipboard. Darry obediently signed and handed it back to her.

There was only one chair next to the bed and Darry insisted that Steve sit in it. He looked dead on his feet and Darry was nervous that he might collapse. Steve didn't put up much of a fight, which betrayed how exhausted he really was. Pony looked a little nervous as he watched the nurse set up her equipment. He had never been a big fan of needles. Darry reached out and took Pony's other hand and his youngest brother gripped it tightly as he closed his eyes and leaned back on the top part of the bed. He flinched when the needle went in and looked relieved that it hadn't been so bad when he opened his eyes again.

As they waited for the bag to fill, Darry took a deep breath and turned back to Steve, still keeping a hold of Pony's hand, both for Pony's comfort as well as his own.

"Steve… I need to know," he said quietly. "How bad was it?" He realized he still had very little information about what had actually happened at the DX tonight.

"It was real bad," Steve said dully. He had his elbows resting on his knees, staring down at his hands that were clasped in front of him. His eyes took on a haunted look as he remembered. "The guy fired three shots at him, but only two really hit him. One was just a graze on his arm, barely much of anything as far as I could tell. The other… hit him in the chest." Darry felt like the world might fall out from under him as this information hit him hard. There were so many vital organs in a person's chest. "It was about… about here." Steve pointed to his own chest about midway down on his left side. He scoffed darkly. "Guy couldn't shoot worth a damn, I'll tell you that. Just some punk tryin' to act tough."

"What happened to him?" Darry asked, struggling to keep his voice steady. "The guy who…" _The guy who shot my little brother._ Darry couldn't bring himself to form the words through his anger. If he ever got his hands on this guy he vowed that he would wring his neck.

"Took off," Steve said darkly. "Turned tail after he realized what happened and ran like a little bitch."

There were several minutes of silence.

"He must have bled a lot," Pony spoke up, his voice shaking slightly at the thought. "I mean if they still need more blood…" Darry was surprised at Pony's incredibly morbid comment.

Steve nodded, his eyes unfocused. "There was a big… puddle… when they lifted him up onto the stretcher." He paused. "I should probably tell someone at the gas station about that before they open in the morning."

Darry snorted a half laugh at the statement, mostly just to relieve tension rather than because he actually thought it was funny. It was clear that Steve was still in shock after what he had witnessed that night and he wasn't really thinking very clearly. Darry could understand that.

"Darry…" came Pony's small voice after another minute. "I don't feel so good."

Darry turned back to Pony, immediately concerned. They had said that this was routine with no risk. It would be just his luck if Pony had some sort of complication from this. He flagged down a passing nurse.

"What's wrong?" the nurse asked.

"My stomach hurts," Pony said, frowning. "I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

"It's a common side effect of giving blood," the nurse assured him. "We'll get you some food when you are done and you'll feel better. In the meantime I can get you something to help." She hurried away and came back a moment later with a wet cloth. "Here, put this on your stomach it'll help." She smiled kindly.

Pony gratefully took the cloth and lifted his shirt a bit, placing it on his stomach. He sighed with relief.

"Better?" Darry asked, sitting on the edge of his brother's hospital bed and putting a comforting arm over his shoulders.

"Yeah, that's a lot better," Pony said with a small smile.

"You're doing great, kiddo," Darry told him, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"I hope it's enough," Pony said, eyeing the mostly full bag of his own blood.

Darry nodded silently. _Critical but stable condition._ The words kept echoing in his head. He tried his best to focus on the word 'stable.' His brother was stable. He hated that he hadn't even been able to see Soda yet. He wanted to see for himself how his brother was doing. He was impatient.

A nurse finally came to collect Pony's blood bag. Darry figured that it was a good sign that they were still collecting blood for Soda. It meant that he was still alive somewhere in this hospital.

"Do you know how much longer until we can see Soda?" Darry asked as she gathered up her equipment.

"I'm sorry, I don't know," the nurse said apologetically. "But I don't think it should be too much longer." She turned to Pony. "An orderly will be by in a few minutes with some food. Make sure you eat up, okay honey?"

"Okay," Pony said with a nod.

An uneasy silence fell between the three as the nurse walked away, the noise from the rest of the emergency room washing over them in an inaudible drone. Everything seemed to be happening so fast and Darry just desperately wanted to know how this night was going to turn out.

XxXxX

Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you think! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Fading, falling, lost in forever  
Will I find a way to keep it together?  
Am I strong enough to last through the weather in the hurricane of my life?_

_- Disturbed (Pain Redefined) _

Pony picked at the tray of food that the orderly had brought him. He wasn't feeling like he was going to be sick anymore, but his stomach was still turning uncomfortably every few minutes. He was pretty sure it was mostly nerves at this point though. It was strange being in this hospital and knowing that his brother was here somewhere but not being able to see him or really know what kind of condition he was in. Critical but stable condition just seemed so vague and he couldn't figure out if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"You need to eat, Pony," Darry prodded. He was leaning against the wall next to Pony's hospital bed, his hands shoved in his pockets.

Pony reluctantly picked up a sugar cookie and took a bite, mechanically chewing it and forcing himself to swallow. He knew that Darry was feeling helpless thinking about Soda's situation and hating that it was completely out of his hands. As a result he was putting all his energy into trying to help Steve and Pony so that he could feel useful.

"I'm not very hungry," Pony mumbled.

"Your stomach okay?" Darry asked, concerned.

Pony sighed. "I'm just nervous," he admitted. "I want to see Soda."

Darry sighed heavily, running a hand over his face tiredly. "I know kiddo," he said flatly. "I do too. All we can do is wait though."

Pony nodded, knowing that Darry was right. Darry had already tried to get more information about their brother for fifteen minutes, but no one seemed to know anything. Pony took another bite of the cookie as his eyes wandered back to rest on Steve. He wouldn't feel so anxious right now if it weren't for Steve. About ten minutes before he had hunched over in his chair and lowered his head as he put his hands on the back of his head and just stayed that way. Steve was the only one of them who had any real idea about how bad Soda's injury was. And it was painfully obvious that he was completely devastated.

"Darrel Curtis?" the original nurse who had taken Pony's blood came back over, a man in a white lab coat in tow.

Darry immediately pushed himself off the wall and stood up straight, his eyes icy. Steve dropped his hands down and looked up though he was still mostly hunched over, a hollow look in his eyes. Pony didn't dare move a muscle, following the doctor with just his eyes. It was like all the air was suddenly sucked out of the crowded room as all three of them wondered what kind of news they were about to receive.

"I understand that you are Sodapop Curtis' legal guardian," the man stated, looking Darry over.

"Yes sir," Darry confirmed stiffly.

"My name is Dr. Evans. Why don't we go to a more private space where we can talk."

Darry nodded, and Pony knew they were all trying not to read too much into the doctor's need for privacy. "I need to take my brothers with me though," he said, indicating both Pony and Steve.

"That's fine," the doctor agreed. Pony was glad that he didn't question when Darry had referred to Steve as his brother too. Steve had as much of a right to hear to news as they did. Not to mention that it was probably not a good idea to leave him alone right now after what he had been through earlier that night.

Pony climbed out of bed as Darry gently pulled Steve up by his arm. He was still in a daze and didn't seem to be focusing on anything very well. Pony wondered vaguely if he was in shock. Pony stumbled after Darry who was still leading Steve along, feeling like his legs were made of Jell-o. He forced his mind to become as blank as possible while he tried not to imagine every worst case scenario that his wild imagination could come up with.

They all walked for several minutes in silence through the hospital before the doctor finally came to a halt outside a door marked with a sign that said ICU. Pony knew that stood for intensive care unit. His stomach turned, but he tried to remember that it was better than being led down to the morgue. Soda had to still be alive, he just had to.

"Your brother Sodapop was extremely lucky," the doctor began, addressing only Darry. "He had some massive blood loss and if he had lost much more he wouldn't have made it. The donations he received have most certainly given him a fighting chance." Pony stomach turned another flip. He couldn't decide if he was more hopeful or discouraged by the news that Soda was still fighting. "We managed to fix the damage done by the bullet wound in his chest. It missed many vital organs, but it did just graze his lung. The damage was not terribly extensive though. We also stitched up the graze on his arm, that particular wound was not severe at all."

"So he will recover?" Darry asked hesitatingly.

"He is not out of the woods yet," the doctor said truthfully. "Our biggest concern right now is the possibility of infection. But he is young and otherwise very healthy, so we are hopeful. We will keep him under close observation for now. But he is stable at the moment and if nothing goes wrong we should be able to move him out of the ICU later in night."

Darry nodded, frowning. "Can we see him?"

"Yes, of course," the doctor agreed. "He should be waking up from the anesthesia soon and he will be groggy, but he shouldn't be in any significant pain right now."

Pony stole a glance over at Steve to see he if had actually heard any of what the doctor had said. His eyes looked a lot less glazed after the news. It was clear all three of them were all cautiously hopeful, especially at the idea that they would finally be able to see and talk to Soda.

Pony took a deep breath, not quite sure what to expect as the doctor opened the door to the ICU. They walked into a room that looked very similar to the emergency room they had just left. Beds lined the walls and each was separated by curtains. The room was a lot more subdued than the emergency room had been. However the people who occupied these beds were so obviously much worse off than those in the emergency room and the entire room seemed to have a very tense feeling to it. Most of the patients were hooked up to all kinds of intimidating-looking machines and many appeared unconscious. Several heart monitors filled the room with a constant drone of beeping and the doctors and nurses spoke quietly to each other.

They followed the doctor to the far side of the room and Pony did his best not to look too closely at the patients that occupied the beds as they passed. He couldn't help thinking back to Johnny on the day that he had died. Many of these patients had the same look in their eyes as Johnny did the last time he saw him. It scared him.

Finally Pony spotted his brother. He was relieved to find that he did not appear to be on as many machines as some of the other patients. He lay flat on his back with an IV drip in one hand and an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. His blankets came up just over his waist and his chest was bare, though heavily bandaged. He also had a bandage wrapped around the upper part of his left bicep. His pallor was sickly, he was so pale he almost blended into the white sheets and pillow, and his eyes were closed. However, despite all this, his chest was steadily rising and falling underneath all his bandages.

"Just make sure you keep it down," Dr. Evans said before turning and leaving the group alone.

For several moments nobody moved as they took in Soda's still form. Soda was hardly ever still. It was unnerving. Pony felt numb and all he could do was stare.

"You both need to sit down," Darry finally said quietly.

Pony glanced over at Steve and noticed that he looked about as pale and unsteady as he felt. He suddenly realized just how rough of a night Steve had. There were two chairs beside Soda's bed and Pony and Steve each took one without complaint.

Darry walked around to the other side of the bed and slowly crouched down, his eyes trained on Soda, concern etched in his every feature. Pony watched Darry instead of Soda, still disconcerted by how broken his brother looked with all his bandages.

"He's gonna be okay, right Darry?" Pony asked quietly. Logically he knew that Darry didn't know any more than he did. But somehow having Darry's reassurance seemed even more important to Pony than what the doctor had said. Darry's job was to protect them after all.

Darry looked up and gave Pony a weak smile. "Of course he will be, Pony," he said softly. "It sounded like the worst was behind him. As long as he doesn't get an infection he will be fine."

"And even if he does get an infection, they'll be able to help him," Pony said hopefully.

Darry nodded. "That's right," he said. "That's why they are gonna keep a close eye on him." Pony smiled, feeling better. Then Darry shifted his gaze to look at Steve. He had been silent ever since he had told them exactly what had happened at the DX that night. Pony could hardly think of a time when he had seen Steve so somber. "Steve," Darry said. Steve gave no indication that he had heard him. "Steve," he said more firmly. Steve finally looked up and met Darry's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steve mumbled.

Pony couldn't understand. It wasn't the first time Steve had seen someone shot. He had been pretty shaken after Dally had been gunned down just like they all had but that was nothing compared to this even though Soda was still alive.

"C'mon, Steve," Darry insisted. "What's going on?"

Steve sighed. "It's my fault," he murmured. Pony gave a start and stared at him, eyes wide. "Soda was givin' the guy what he wanted. He was givin' him the money from the register. If I hadn't walked in… if I hadn't spooked him…"

"Steve, it wasn't your fault," Darry said steadily. "The only one to blame is the guy with the gun."

"You saved him, Steve," Pony said quietly. Steve looked over at him in surprise. "You got him to the hospital. You gave him your own blood for God's sake. You did everything you could for him. Our brother wouldn't still be here right now if it wasn't for you."

Steve gave Pony a strained smile. "Thanks kid," he said.

"Guys," Darry said quickly.

Pony quickly turned back in time to see Soda shifting slightly in his sleep. Darry gently took Soda's hand, careful of the IV that was taped to the back of it. Pony and Steve both leaned forward anxiously as they watched Soda's face as he slowly regained consciousness. He let out a low moan as his eyes slowly squinted open.

"Easy Soda," Darry said softly. Soda's eyes wandered over in Darry's direction, clearly confused. "You're in the hospital. Try not to move, okay little buddy?"

"Oh good, he's awake." A nurse immediately came hurrying over and began checking Soda over. Pony watched Soda's face carefully, especially after the nurse removed his oxygen mask. It was troubling to see his older brother look so disoriented, like he wasn't completely sure what was going on. "If you start to feel short of breath I will leave the oxygen here for you," the nurse told Soda, indicating the oxygen tank at the side of the bed. "You should start feeling better soon. There will be someone checking up on you in a little bit." She looked over at Darry. "He's going to be a little disoriented for a little bit, but he should become more aware as the anesthesia continues to wear off."

Darry nodded. "Thank you," he said.

The nurse smiled and seemed about to say something else when suddenly a low continuous note cut through the otherwise relatively quite room. The nurse disappeared in an instant and suddenly there were loud voices coming from the other side of the curtain behind where Steve and Pony were sitting. Pony turned in his chair, curiosity getting the best of him, and peeked around the curtain. Doctors and nurses surrounded a bed, weaving between the many machines that had been keeping the patient alive. The patient was an older man, maybe in his forties or fifties. His eyes were closed and as a doctor yelled "Clear!" and placed two metal paddles on the patient's chest he momentarily shot up in the air.

"Pony." He heard Darry's firm voice but it sounded very far away. Pony felt transfixed and could not tear his gaze away from the scene in front of him.

Pony felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back around to face forward again. He looked over at Steve as he dropped his hand back down. "Don't watch that, Pony," Steve said, his voice oddly gentle.

"What's going on?" Soda's voice was small but it got everyone's attention.

"The DX got robbed tonight," Steve said softly, leaning in closer. "Don't you remember?"

Soda looked over at Steve and they could all see realization dawning in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked slowly, meeting Steve's eyes as Steve gave a start, clearly not expecting that question. "You weren't hit, were you?"

"No, no I wasn't hit," Steve assured him quickly. "Guy couldn't aim worth a damn. You just got unlucky, buddy." He tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace.

Soda let a out a single dry laugh and then winced.

"Does it hurt?" Darry asked worriedly.

"A little," Soda admitted.

"Just lay still and rest," Darry said, reaching up and carefully running a hand through Soda's hair affectionately. "Everything's gonna be okay, little buddy."

Pony was still half listening to the commotion that was going on just behind him and noticed when it suddenly became quiet. Then a low voice said, "Time of death, 12:17 AM." Pony's stomach dropped. He couldn't wait for his brother to be moved out of this room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_I slipped, I fell, then I lost everything  
My hope, my faith, in what the future brings  
In hopes of pushing past the tie that brings us down  
We sing together now._

_- Rise Against (Obstructed View)_

It was another hour before they finally transferred Soda to his own room outside of the ICU. Darry was relieved. He could see how visibly shaken that Pony had been after a patient passed away in the bed next to Soda's. Much of the tension in the group seemed to dissipate as they helped Soda get settled in his room. The hospital seemed a lot less ominous and intimidating after they had left the room full of patients in various levels of critical conditions.

The process of actually moving Soda had been a stressful ordeal. The doctor wanted him moving as little as possible, so they had to wheel the entire bed to his new room. Every time the bed would wheel over a bump or was jarred at all Soda would visibly wince. Then they had needed to move him from one bed to another. Two large orderlies had grasped each side of the sheet just underneath Soda and had heaved him up, causing him to gasp and then moan loudly and squeeze his eyes closed as they placed him on the new bed. Pony paled as he watched the scene and Darry put an arm securely around him, partly for support and partly because he was a little concerned that Pony might pass out from all of this stress. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.

"I'm cold," Soda complained quietly in a voice that was no more than a whisper as the medical staff finally left them in peace.

Darry moved around the room and managed to find an extra blanket in a nearby cabinet. He very carefully covered his younger brother.

"That better, Pepsi-Cola?" Darry asked.

"Mmm, thanks," he mumbled, clearly already beginning to drift back to sleep. He had been in and out of consciousness quite a bit over the past hour. He looked up at Darry blearily, fighting the exhaustion that was trying to overwhelm him. "Darry, it's late. You gotta work in the morning."

"Don't worry about that Soda," Darry assured him. "Just get some rest."

Soda looked like he wanted to protest but his exhaustion was getting the better of him. Slowly his eyes blinked closed and his breathing slowed as he drifted back off to sleep. Darry sighed with relief as Soda's features took on a more peaceful appearance.

"You really should go, Darry," Steve said, obviously picking up on Soda's train of thought. "You gotta work early tomorrow. I can stay, I don't work until later." It was spring break at Roger Williams High School, which is why Darry had let Pony go out with Two-Bit that night.

Darry still hesitated. He hated leaving Soda's side at this point, especially knowing that he wasn't out of the woods yet, as the doctor had reminded them when they had moved him. Nurses were still going to check up on him every few hours to make sure he remained stabilized.

"Maybe I'll call off tomorrow," Darry said slowly, looking at Soda's still form.

"Darry, you know you can't afford a day off," Steve pointed out. "Especially since Soda obviously ain't gonna be working for a while."

Darry sighed. Steve certainly had a point. Darry had managed to take some time off when Pony had been sick only because when they had gone back to work they also had Soda's paycheck to help them catch up. As much as he didn't like it he knew that he couldn't miss any work unless he absolutely had to, especially if Soda wasn't going to be working. If he couldn't keep up with the bills then social services could take Pony and Soda away from him. That would destroy them all. And if he was going to go in to work tomorrow he knew he had to at least try to get some rest. Roofing wasn't exactly a job a person could sleep through and it would be disastrous if he managed to get hurt as well and couldn't work. There would be no way Pony and Soda wouldn't be taken away from him then.

"Alright," he said, his reluctance painfully apparent. "But you call me with any updates, you hear?"

"Don't worry, Darry," Steve assured him. "If I hear anything I'll beat anyone to a pulp to get at a phone."

"I can stay too," Pony spoke up, looking up at Darry hopefully.

Darry thought it over for several long moments. "You should probably come home and get some sleep," he said finally. "That way you can come back tomorrow morning and relieve Steve so he can go get some sleep before work."

"I'd rather just stay," Pony insisted. "We could have Two-Bit come by in the morning." He paused and Darry felt conflicted, unsure what to do. "You really think I'm gonna get any sleep tonight anyway without Soda?"

"Fine," Darry gave in. He would have insisted that Pony come home with him if it had been a school night. But since he didn't have school the next day anyway Darry figured it really couldn't hurt. He felt better having more people staying with Soda not to mention he wasn't really comfortable leaving Steve by himself after the night that he had. "Try not to stay up all night. Get some sleep. Both of you. And give Two-Bit a call first thing in the morning. I doubt we'd be able to track him down tonight anyway."

"Okay Darry," Pony agreed.

Darry sighed. He hated that he had to leave right now. All he wanted to do was sit and watch Soda all night, being reassured by the steady rising and falling of his wounded brother's chest. He hated that money was so tight that he couldn't stay with his brother when he felt that he really needed him. But he tried to tell himself that Soda would probably sleep most of the time anyway and he was in the best place he could be.

"Call me if you get _any_ news," Darry emphasized.

"We will Darry," Steve promised. "Now go get some rest, you gotta be up in like less than five hours."

Darry nodded, though he had a feeling that he wasn't going to be getting much rest tonight. He reached over and gave Soda's shoulder a light squeeze before forcing himself to turn and trudge from the room.

XxXxX

It was a very quiet night. Soda slept soundly and Pony and Steve sat on either side of the bed watching him sleep. Every hour or so a nurse would come in to poke and prod at the patient and Soda would stir restlessly but he never really woke up. Steve was glad for that. While he had been awake Soda had seemed terribly uncomfortable. Steve wasn't sure if that was normal or not, he couldn't imagine that the hospital staff didn't have him on some kind of painkillers, but there was definitely less tension as Soda peacefully slept.

It was well after three in the morning when Steve finally felt like the fog of shock was starting to clear out of his head and he was thinking more clearly. The paramedics had questioned him extensively about what exactly had happened. They had said they would file a police report. Steve imagined he would have to talk to the cops in the morning and he really wasn't looking forward to that. After the incident with Dally several months ago the entire gang had gone even more out of their way to avoid cops, which was saying something since none of them really trusted cops before that anyway. He also knew that he would have to make sure he called his boss early before the morning shift at the gas station arrived to a shocking surprise behind the counter.

Steve sat back in his chair and watched as Pony dozed off sitting up in his own chair, one hand reaching out and resting on top of his brother's forearm. He felt bad for the kid. Ever since they were young, Steve had always found Soda's kid brother to be annoying. But he knew that he kid had been through a lot in the past year. For a while after Dally and Johnny's deaths Pony had been pretty out of it and Steve was convinced that he had finally snapped. But he had finally bounced back, probably because of the support he got from his brothers. Then tonight he had kept his cool for the majority of the time and he seemed a lot more grown up when he had demanded that Darry let him stay with Soda. The kid continued to surprise Steve. And Steve had to admit he was grateful for some company, even if it was Soda's kid brother.

Steve felt wide awake as he protectively watched over his best friend. Logically he knew that him staying awake and watching Soda constantly wasn't going to really help him, but somehow it made him feel useful, like he had a purpose and he wasn't just dead weight in the room.

He was so intent on watching Soda that he didn't immediately notice Pony begin to twitch in his sleep several hours later. He jerked his gaze up when he heard Pony let out a small whimper and noticed that he was breathing quickly. Steve wasn't quite sure what he should do and just continued to watch for several more minutes. Then Pony suddenly jerked awake and seemed so startled and disoriented that he fell right off his chair and landed with a thump on the floor.

"Pony," Steve said sharply, but keeping his voice quiet in an attempt to not disturb Soda. He stood and hurried around the bed and found Pony sitting on the floor, blinking around confused. "You okay, kid?"

Pony looked up at him and was silent for several seconds. "Yeah, I'm fine," he finally mumbled.

"You have a nightmare or somethin'?" Steve asked. He felt a little awkward standing over Pony, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked down at him. Steve was an only child, comforting a little brother was not something he really knew how to do. Pony just nodded. "I thought you didn't have those anymore." Steve knew all about the nightmares and how much they had worried Soda when they had started the night after their parents' funeral.

"I haven't had one in months," Pony mumbled.

"Pony?"

Both Steve and Pony whipped around to look at Soda, whose eyes were half open and he was blinking down at his younger brother, looking concerned even through his haze of exhaustion. Steve couldn't understand how Soda could manage it. It was like he had some kind of "big brother gene" that Steve just wasn't born with.

"Sorry, Soda, I didn't mean to wake you," Pony said as he climbed back to his feet.

Soda reached out a hand and Pony carefully took it as he sat back down in his chair.

"What are you guys still doing here?" Soda rasped. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and must have figured how late it was – so late that is was early. "Have you been here all night?"

"Well, these are some really comfy chairs," Steve said lightly as he made his way back around the bed.

"We sent Darry home," Pony pointed out. "I don't have school tomorrow and Steve doesn't work till later."

Steve looked up at the clock. It was almost six. "It is tomorrow, kid," he said. He looked over at Soda. "If it makes you feel any better the kid got a few good hours of sleep before the nightmare woke him."

"You guys should go home," Soda mumbled.

"Not a chance," Steve said. "But I do need to go make a quick phone call. You left a little blood behind at the gas station last night, I figure I should probably warn the morning shift to save them from a nasty scare."

"A little?" Soda asked, an ironic smile playing at his lips.

"Yeah, just like a drop or two," Steve said easily with a shrug. He smiled, glad that Soda was still able to appreciate a joke. "I'll tell them to bring along a napkin."

Steve headed out into the hall and down to the nurse's station. It felt good to see that Soda was awake and acting like his normal self despite everything that happened. He just wished he had somehow been able to protect his best friend from all of this. He knew the night before would haunt him for a very long time. _If only I had just waited another five minutes to walk into the store…_

Steve managed to quickly get a hold of a phone, the hospital was a lot less busy this early in the morning, and punched in his boss' home number and waited impatiently for an answer.

"Yeah?"

He sounded tired. He must have been sleeping.

"Hey Mike, it's Steve Randle," Steve said. "Look we had an incident at the station last night…"

"Yeah, I heard Steve," Mike cut him off with a sigh. "The cops called me last night."

Steve gave a start. He hadn't even considered that the cops may have actually done something useful already. "Oh," he said vaguely.

"Yeah, we got the place cleaned up last night," Mike said tiredly. There was a long pause. "How… how is Soda doing?"

Steve knew what he was really asking. He wanted to know if Soda was still alive. He knew that after seeing the amount of blood on the floor of the DX his boss probably feared the worst.

"He's okay," Steve said, and he could hear a sigh of relief from the other end. "The doc said he was really lucky. I'm still at the hospital with him."

"Good, I'm glad he's okay," Mike said. "I'll make sure his shifts get covered. You tell him to just focus on resting up and getting better."

"I will, thanks," Steve said. He felt relieved as he hung up the phone. That conversation had been a lot easier than he thought it was going to be. He checked the clock and figured that Darry must be up and getting ready for work by now. He picked the phone back up and dialed the Curtis' number.

"Hello?" Darry answered almost immediately.

"Hey Darry," Steve said.

"How's he doing?"

"He seems to be doing okay," Steve said, doing his best to sound reassuring. "He slept most of the night and the nurses who checked up on him all said everything was as good as it could be, all things considered." He racked his brain, trying to remember some of the things that the nurses had told him over the course of the night. "They were worried about his blood pressure for a while, they said it was still really low but I guess it's gotten better over the past hour or so."

"Well that's good," Darry said, though he still sounded stressed. "Did Pony get any sleep?"

"Yeah, actually, he got a good few hours in," Steve said. He paused, considering just leaving it at that. But he figured it was better that Darry know everything. "He woke up just a few minutes ago… kinda suddenly. He said he had another one of those nightmares like he used to have." There was a long silence. "Darry?"

"Yeah, sorry," Darry mumbled. He sounded distracted. Steve knew that Darry already had a lot on his plate and he hated giving him more bad news. "It must be the stress." He paused again. "You're gonna call Two-Bit, right?"

"Yeah, I will," Steve said. "He'll come over and stay with Pony and Soda by the time I have to go to work."

"Good, thanks Steve," Darry said. "You got my work number, right?"

"Yeah Darry, I got your work number," he confirmed. "I'll call you if I hear anything new."

"Okay," Darry said. "I gotta run. Tell Pony I'll be there as soon as I get out of work."

"I will," Steve said just before he hung up. He stared at the phone for several minutes. He figured he was on a roll and he didn't really want to leave Soda's side again later so he went ahead and picked up the phone a third time and dialed the Mathews number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Ms. Mathews, it's Steve," Steve said politely. He had always liked Two-Bit's mother, she had always been kind to the gang just like Soda's parents had before they died. "Is Two-Bit there?"

"Yes, but he's still sleeping," Two-Bit's mother said, sounding surprised. He knew that it was extremely rare for anyone to call on Two-Bit before noon on a day when they didn't have school, let alone at six-thirty in the morning.

"Would you mind waking him?" Steve asked. "It's really important."

"Sure Steve, hold on a few minutes," she agreed. She obviously knew well enough to know that if any of the gang were to call on her son this early in the morning it must be about something very important. Not only because of how close the gang was, but also because Two-Bit was just plain unpleasant early in the morning after a long night of drinking and no one would want to deal with him unless it was completely necessary.

Steve impatiently drummed his fingers on the counter top. He knew getting Two-Bit out of bed this early was going to be a very difficult task, especially since he probably just passed out drunk only a few hours before. After several long minutes Steve was about to give up, anxious to get back to see Soda, when finally he heard a rustling on the other side of the phone.

"What?" Two-Bit's voice sounded tired and annoyed.

"And good morning to you too," Steve said dryly. "Look, sorry to get you up so early, but something happened last night." Two-Bit mumbled something incoherent and Steve ignored it. "The DX got held up last night. Soda was in the store and… and he got shot."

There was a pause as Steve waited for the information to sink in to Two-Bit's clearly only half-conscious mind. Then Two-Bit put together a long string of loud and increasingly vulgar curse words and eventually Steve had to wonder if Two-Bit's mother was still in earshot.

"Is he…" Two-Bit finally said, unable to finish the question that needed to be asked.

"He's alive," Steve confirmed. "I'm here at the hospital with him. Pony's here too. Darry had to leave just after one this morning, Soda was stable and he couldn't miss work."

"Why didn't you call me last night?" Two-Bit demanded angrily.

"Why, were you home last night?" Steve asked, cocking an eyebrow even through Two-Bit couldn't see him.

"No…" Two-Bit said slowly.

"Well then how was I supposed to call you?"

"Oh… right," Two-Bit said vaguely. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"You don't have to come right this second," Steve pointed out. "I'll be here until I have to leave for work this afternoon."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." And with that the line went dead.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"_The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important. As our great poet Auden said, 'Love each other or perish'."_

_- Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie)_

Two-Bit dropped the phone back down on the receiver and then just stood and stared at it. His mind was slow to comprehend that this wasn't just a bad dream. This was really happening. Tragedy had struck their gang once again. Two-Bit had to keep reminding himself that Steve had said that Soda was still alive, even though he hadn't mentioned what kind of condition he was in. But Two-Bit knew full well that if he was getting a call at six-thirty in the morning on a day when they didn't even have school, Soda wasn't in good condition.

"Keith?" Two-Bit's mother's voice finally shook him out of his daze. She was looking at him with concern, not even bothering to lecture him about the language he had used in front of her only a few minutes before. She obviously knew something was seriously wrong and his language was the least of her worries. "Is everything okay?"

"Soda's in the hospital," he said flatly.

"What happened?" his mother asked, sounding distraught. She had always cared for the gang a lot, the Curtis brothers especially. Two-Bit had originally met Darry, Soda and Pony because their parents had been very close with his mom when they were all little.

"I dunno," Two-Bit mumbled, not wanting to repeat the horrific facts to his mother. Just hearing that someone in their gang had been shot, Two-Bit couldn't help but think of Dally. It had only been five months; the memory was still very fresh and still very painful. "I'm gonna head over there right now, figure out what's goin' on."

He hurried out of the kitchen before his mother could react and went back to his own room and quickly changed his clothes – he had passed out in his clothes from the night before and he was very aware that they reeked of smoke, alcohol and body odor. He considered grabbing a beer from the kitchen before he left to calm his nerves and ease his hangover, but instead he just lit up a cigarette and he walked out the front door, letting it slam behind him.

The ride to the hospital was a blur. Two-Bit didn't bother with red lights if he didn't absolutely have to and made it in record time. After he had parked the car he crossed the parking lot slowly, suddenly dreading having to face the reality of the situation. He was afraid of what he'd find when he entered that hospital. He stopped outside the door and lit up another cigarette. He spent a few minutes inhaling the smoke, willing his nerves to calm as he watched people enter and exit the hospital in various conditions. Finally he decided it was stupid to put it off any longer. He dropped the cigarette and stepped on it before turning and walking through the doors of the hospital.

Two-Bit immediately approached the reception desk. "I'm looking for Sodapop Curtis," he said before the nurse could even ask.

The nurse shot him a skeptical look, but shuffled through some of the papers in front of her. "He is in room 319 up on the third floor," she said.

Two-Bit nodded vaguely as he walked over to the elevators. He tried to not think too much about what he was about to find as he impatiently hit the up button several times and waited for the elevator to arrive. It was one of the longest elevator rides of his life. Once he reached the third floor it didn't take him long to find room 319 and he forced himself not to hesitate as he entered.

The scene before him wasn't nearly as horrific as he had been expecting. Steve and Pony sat in chairs on either side of Soda's hospital bed, both awake but looking dead tired. Clearly they had been up most of the night. Steve was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face as he studied Soda's still form. Pony was leaning forward with one arm reaching out and holding Soda's hand. Soda looked… peaceful. His eyes were closed and his breathing looked steady. He was mostly covered by a blanket and there was an IV sticking out of the hand that Pony was holding.

"How's he doing?" Two-Bit asked.

Both Steve and Pony jumped. Obviously neither of them had noticed his appearance. Two-Bit stepped more fully into the room, studying Soda carefully, noticing how pale he looked. Steve sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay, I think," Steve said slowly, looking back at Soda. "Mostly he's just been sleeping."

Two-Bit nodded vaguely, standing at the foot of the bed. "How bad was it?"

The room was silent for several long moments.

"It was real bad," Steve said quietly. Two-Bit didn't have to ask for any details. Steve's tone was enough to tell him everything he needed to know at the moment.

"He's gonna be okay though, right?" Two-Bit asked carefully, weary of what kind of answer he was going to get. Soda sure looked okay to him. He didn't look nearly as bad as Johnny had when he had been in this same hospital only five months before. But Two-Bit didn't want to get his hopes up. They were Greasers after all. They knew better than to assume everything would always work out in their favor.

"Yeah, I think so," Steve said, nodding even though he didn't sound very confident. "He's been stable for a while now, but the nurses never say much when they check up on him. They said the doctor will come talk to us when Darry gets back tonight."

Two-Bit placed his hands on the rail at the end of the hospital bed and leaned on it heavily. "Did they catch the guy?"

Steve shook his head, not having to ask who he was talking about. "Not that I know of," he said darkly. "He took off right after… after the heater went off."

Two-Bit just nodded, wondering vaguely what the chances were that he could somehow track the guy down and beat him senseless. He figured the odds were slim to none, but it was still a nice thought. He sighed heavily as he straightened up and looked over at Pony, who had not said one word since he had entered the room.

"How're you holdin' up, kid?" he asked.

Pony looked up at him, his eyes full of worry. "I'll be fine," he said quietly. "I just want Soda to get better."

Two-Bit nodded. "I'm sure he will," he assured Pony. "I ain't no doctor, but he looks pretty good to me for a guy who got shot last night."

Pony winced and Steve rolled his eyes and frowned at Two-Bit's very lame attempt at humor. Two-Bit was the unintentional master of the "too soon" joke. Trying to make a joke out of serious situations was how he attempted to cope with them. Of course that was only when he didn't have easy access to alcohol. He quickly saw neither would help this situation though. It was time to be responsible. He did actually know how to do that when he needed to.

"Either of you wanna take off and get some sleep?" he asked. "I can take over for a while." Predictably, both Pony and Steve shook their heads. They wouldn't leave Soda's side unless they absolutely had to. Two-Bit felt the same way, but he knew that he should offer anyway. He was actually a little surprised that they had managed to convince Darry to leave. Money must be very tight at their house and with Soda obviously in no condition to work for a while he figured Darry probably didn't have much of a choice.

Two-Bit quickly decided that sitting around and staring at Soda while he slept wasn't going to do anyone any good. He ran to the small store across the street from the hospital and managed to lift a deck of playing cards without much difficulty. He returned ten minutes later to find that no one in the room had moved an inch. He finally coaxed both Pony and Steve to play poker with him. They spread out on the floor next to Soda's bed and pulled out their cigarettes to bet with, getting a few disapproving looks from a few nurses who came in to check on Soda as they tried to work around the mess on the floor. None of the boys paid much notice to them though. The tension was starting to dissipate as the game went on and things were almost starting to feel normal.

It was about an hour later when Two-Bit glanced up from his crap hand and was surprised to find that Soda's head was turned toward the group and his eyes were open, watching them carefully. Even though he had been stable and breathing and everything all morning, Two-Bit was still immensely relieved to finally see him awake.

"Hey buddy," Two-Bit said brightly with a smile, looking at Soda. Pony and Steve both whipped around to look at the hospital bed. "How long you been awake?"

"Long enough to know that Steve's got an ace shoved in his shoe," Soda croaked, a smile spreading across his face.

The three on the floor cracked up and Two-Bit reached over and yanked the card out of Steve's shoe. Soda's voice sounded tired but at least he was still able to poke fun at them. That had to be a good sign.

"How're you feelin'?" Pony asked as he put his cards down and climbed back up onto the chair next to Soda's bed.

"Like I've been hit by a truck," Soda mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment before looking back at his little brother. "I'll be okay though." He tried to give Pony a reassuring smile as he reached out a hand toward him and Pony carefully took it.

"You still feel cold," Pony said, frowning down at the hand he was holding.

"Yeah, it's kinda cold in here," Soda said vaguely.

Two-Bit didn't think it was cold at all in the room, not to mention it looked like Soda had two blankets over him, but he wasn't about to say anything. He was just glad that Soda was finally awake. Just then a nurse walked into the room.

"Oh good, you're up," she said with a smile. She approached the foot at Soda's bed and pulled out his chart. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

"Not really," Soda said tiredly. "Just kinda achy."

She nodded, making a note on the chart. "That's pretty normal," she said. She paused, studying him for a moment before she went on. "The paramedics filed a police report last night about the incident, but the police still need to get a statement from you about what happened. They are here now." Two-Bit didn't miss the look of distress that flashed across Soda's face or the way he tightened his grip on Pony's hand. Steve stood up and moved closer to the bed, almost protectively, and Two-Bit followed suit. "Do you feel up to talking to them?"

Soda was silent for several moments as everyone watched him. He looked uncomfortable and his gaze shifted around to his friends standing around him, his eyes pleading for help.

"He doesn't have to right now, does he?" Steve finally spoke up, sending the nurse a bit of a glare for even asking.

"Not if he thinks it'll cause him too much stress," the nurse said. "The doctor wants him resting as much as possible, so if he doesn't want to I'll just tell them that he's still sleeping." Two-Bit felt annoyed as well that they were even asking this of him right now. Of course it was going to cause him stress.

Very slowly Soda moved his head side to side. "No, I don't want to," he said quietly, not quite looking at the nurse.

"He doesn't want to," Steve repeated firmly. "I can talk to them though, I was there."

Two-Bit knew that Steve intensely hated cops and would do anything to avoid them. He also knew that he was hoping to keep them away from Soda by talking to them instead.

The nurse nodded. "I'm sure that would be helpful," she said. "They are just out by the nurse's station at the end of the hall. I'll go tell them and you can meet them out there." And with that she turned and left.

"Don't worry about it," Steve said, placing a gentle hand on Soda's shoulder. "I'll take care of it, buddy."

"Thanks," Soda said with a small smile.

"I'll come with you for backup," Two-Bit volunteered. He knew absolutely nothing about what happened the night before and therefore had no reason to go anywhere near the cops, but he figured there was safety in numbers when it came to dealing with the police. Even though he would be right down the hall, he still didn't like the idea of Steve going to talk to them by himself.

Steve nodded his thanks, obviously not wanting to vocalize that he was grateful. "We'll be right back," Steve assured Soda.

Two-Bit followed Steve out into the hallway. He shoved his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders slightly, trying to look tough. He wouldn't be intimidated by the cops and he knew that Steve was thinking the same thing.

It wasn't difficult at all to spot the two uniformed cops at the end of the hall, talking with the nurse who had just left Soda's hospital room. The two of them approached just as the nurse walked away.

"You were a witness to the robbery at the DX station last night?" one of the cops asked, looking at Steve who was standing slightly in front of Two-Bit. They both stood taller than both Steve and Two-Bit and had mirrored serious expressions.

"Yeah, I was there," Steve said off handedly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning up against the nurse's station.

The cop shifted his gaze to focus on Two-Bit. "And you?"

"Nope," Two-Bit said shortly with no further explanation of his presence. He really wished he could light up a cigarette right now.

Both cops focused back on Steve and thankfully they didn't tell Two-Bit to leave. Not that he would have, but he didn't feel like arguing with them.

"We just need to ask you a few questions," the cop who was obviously taking charge of the interrogation said. "Would you like to go sit down somewhere?"

"No, I wouldn't," Steve said simply.

The cop sighed and rolled his eyes slightly, but he didn't look surprised. He obviously already had his opinion of the two hoods in front of him made up. He pulled out a small notebook and a pen. He placed the notebook down on the counter of the nurse's station and flipped to a new page.

"Can you tell me what time the robber entered the store at the DX last night?" he asked, getting down to business. He obviously didn't want to drag this out any more than they did.

"Just a few minutes before closing at nine," Steve answered without emotion.

"Can you describe the shooter?"

Steve sighed and thought for a minute. "He was wearin' a brown coat and blue jeans," he said slowly, squinting at the wall behind the cop, clearly putting a lot of effort into trying to picture the guy that he had only seen briefly. "He looked a little older than us, I dunno late twenties maybe?"

The cop was carefully taking notes. "White guy?"

"Yeah," Steve confirmed.

"Any facial features you can remember?"

Steve sighed again. "I didn't really get a good look at him," he said, a bit moodily. "As soon as he saw me he shot at me. I was kinda distracted."

The officer just nodded. "Do you know how many shots were fired?"

"Four shots," Steve said confidently.

"And what kind of gun?"

"A handgun of some sort," he answered. "Maybe a revolver."

"Can you tell us in your own words how the events unfolded last night? Everything that happened."

Steve dropped his arms to rest on the counter and leaned on them. He looked tired. Two-Bit placed a hand on his shoulder for support before dropping it back down to his side. He knew that Steve hated having to cooperate with the cops, but hopefully it would help them catch the guy who had hurt their friend.

"I was working out in the garage and Soda was in the store," he started.

"Soda is the victim?" the cop interrupted.

Steve openly glared. "Yeah," he said with a bit of a growl while Two-Bit tensed up behind him. A cop calling any of their gang a 'victim' just didn't sit right with either of them. Steve continued through this story quickly, obviously wanting to be done with this. "Anyway, it was about time to close up so I walked into the store. The guy was there with his heater pointed at Soda and Soda was pullin' money out of the register. When he saw me he fired one shot at me but it missed. Soda went to go after the guy, but he turned and fired three shots at him." He paused and Two-Bit could tell he was fighting to keep up his voice steady in order to keep up his tough-hood exterior. The cops didn't need to know how shaken he was by the whole night. "One missed, one grazed his arm and one hit him in the chest. After Soda fell behind the counter the guy ran. That's all I can tell you." Steve looked drained from retelling the story.

The cop nodded and was silent for a moment as he continued writing. "Okay," he said finally as he finished scribbling in his notebook. "That should do it. We'll keep an eye out for any leads, but we really need to talk to this Sodapop Curtis before we'll really know where to start looking."

Steve's eyes suddenly blazed with anger. "I just told you everything that happened," he said, clearly upset that they were still intent on making Soda relive the whole ordeal.

Suddenly the second cop, who had been silent up until that moment, stepped up. "Look, I know that guys in your neighborhood don't like cops," he said bluntly. "And I know that after what happened last night the last thing your friend is gonna want to do is talk about it, especially to a couple of cops who are going to want to know every single little detail. But we do actually want to help. Sodapop is going to have the best chance of describing the guy so that we can find him. If we can find him then he won't be able to hurt anyone else." Two-Bit and Steve just stared for a moment, clearly surprised by this new cop's approach. He actually seemed to understand what was really going on. "I'm gonna leave you my card," he said, pulling a small card out of his pocket and handing it to Steve. "Just give me a call when your friend is ready to talk. And the sooner he can do that the better chance he will still remember crucial details."

And with that the cops left. Two-Bit looked at Steve carefully as he read over the little business card what seemed like a few times. It was the first time Two-Bit had heard what had actually happened the night before and it all sounded so horrific. He hadn't really realized that Steve had witnessed the whole thing.

"You okay?" Two-Bit asked slowly.

Steve didn't answer immediately; he just kept staring down at the business card.

"He's not gonna want to talk to the cops," Steve finally said.

Two-Bit nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "But I think we'd all feel better if they actually managed to catch the guy. I mean, no offense, but your description wasn't very specific."

Steve sighed. "It all just happened so fast," he said tiredly. "After Soda… fell I was just so focused on getting to him. I hardly even noticed the guy run out."

"It's not your fault," Two-Bit said sympathetically. "But that cop is probably right. Soda will have a better chance of remembering what the guy looked like." There was a pause as Steve still looked conflicted. "How about you just leave the card with me and I'll give it to Darry when he gets here. We'll let him decide."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Steve allowed. He held out the card without moving his eyes from where he had just held it and Two-Bit took it and shoved it in his pocket.

"C'mon, let's get back to Soda," Two-Bit said, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder to bring him out of his daze.

Steve just nodded as Two-Bit steered him back toward Soda's room. They paused outside the door as Two-Bit gave Steve a moment to compose himself. Stressing Soda out by bringing back in a shaken looking Steve wouldn't help matters. Two-Bit imagined that having to relive what had happened had caused Steve's defenses to fall a bit. If this was how Steve had reacted Two-Bit could imagine Soda's reaction would be worse if he was asked to retell what had happened the night before. He hoped that Darry would know what to do about that.

When Steve reentered the room he seemed much steadier than he had just a minute before. Two-Bit followed him in and they found that Soda was still awake, though he looked like he was putting in a lot of effort into trying to keep from dozing off again. Clearly he had been waiting for them to get back.

"How'd it go?" he asked carefully.

"It was fine," Steve said with a shrug.

He didn't to go mentioning how the cops still wanted to talk to Soda, and Two-Bit didn't mention it either. There was no need to deal with that bit of news right now. For now they could just be happy that Soda was recovering.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Well in this chapter I start to get into some technical medical stuff. I've actually been doing a lot of research to try and make this seem as realistic as possible. But since I am just googling this stuff there is room for errors. Hopefully there are no medical experts reading this! Haha. Just a fair warning. Please review!

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow  
I don't wanna live like this today  
Make me feel better  
I wanna feel better  
Stay with me here now  
And never surrender_

_- Skillet (Never Surrender)_

Work dragged by annoyingly slowly for Darry. He couldn't stop thinking about Soda all day. He hated that he was not at his bedside where he should be right now. He kept on waiting to get a call from the hospital, but one never came. He figured that was a good sign though. He knew that if anything went wrong, Pony, Steve or Two-Bit would call him immediately. He still felt anxious though.

Thankfully his boss was very understanding about his situation and allowed him to leave an hour early. Darry figured that missing one hour of work wouldn't kill them with the bills. He broke the majority of the traffic laws on the way to the hospital, but luckily he didn't encounter any cops. At least there was some luck that was still left over for the Greasers.

It took Darry no time at all to make it back up to Soda's hospital room. As he entered his gaze immediately went to his injured brother, feeling relieved that he didn't look any worse than he had the night before, even if he didn't really look any better. He was sound asleep. Next he moved his gaze to find Pony and Two-Bit sitting on the floor next to the bed, deeply invested in a game of poker. Or so Darry thought.

"Got any threes?" Two-Bit asked.

"Go fish," Pony responded very seriously, shaking his head.

"Go fish? Really?" Darry said, raising an eyebrow and suppressing a laugh.

Two-Bit cracked a grin as he looked up at Darry. "Poker was startin' to get dull after a few hours," he said. "Plus I'm pretty sure the kid was cheatin'. He was counting cards or somethin'."

"You _can't_ count cards in poker," Pony said with an air of having already explained this. "That only works for blackjack. You just don't wanna admit that I'm gettin' better than you."

"How's he been?" Darry asked, nodding at Soda as he approached the bed.

"He's been okay as far as we can tell," Pony said, standing up and approaching the other side of the bed. "He woke up a few times but he's mostly just been sleeping. The nurses all said that that's pretty normal though 'cause his body's recovering. I kept asking to make sure."

Darry smiled down at his youngest brother, proud of how he had stepped up. "Did you eat today?"

"I dragged him out of here around lunch time to go get something to eat," Two-Bit spoke up, still sitting on the floor, leaning back on his hands. "Steve stayed with Soda while we were out and then he had to take off and go back to work when we got back."

"How'd Steve get to work?" Darry asked, remembering that he had ridden to the hospital in the ambulance with Soda the night before. He supposed he could have taken the bus.

"I let him take my car," Two-Bit said. "He dozed off for a little bit this afternoon, but he still looked dead tired, so I called down to the gas station a little while ago to make sure he made it there okay and my car was still in one piece."

Darry nodded, grateful to have the gang to pick up the slack when he couldn't be there to take care of everyone. He looked back at Soda, still feeling unnerved by how still his usually hyperactive brother was. "How was he when he was awake?"

"He seemed okay," Pony said. "He was even joking around and stuff." Pony glanced down at Two-Bit and Darry got a suspicious feeling that they weren't telling him everything.

"Hey, come out into the hall for a sec," Two-Bit said suddenly, standing up. Darry felt confused, but followed Two-Bit out into the hallway all the same. "I just don't want him to overhear if he wakes up," Two-Bit explained vaguely. "I don't want to stress him out."

"What is it?" Darry asked, his stomach falling a bit. He had a feeling he was about to get some bad news.

"It's nothing real serious," Two-Bit assured him quickly. "But this morning the cops came by, they wanted a statement from Soda about what happened last night." Darry sighed, beating himself up for not being there for that. "He said he didn't want to talk to them, he seemed pretty upset by the idea so the nurse didn't push it. Steve went to talk to them, hoping that maybe they wouldn't have to talk to Soda if he did instead, but they still want a statement directly from Soda."

Darry pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling stressed. He didn't like cops any more than the rest of them did, but he knew that he wouldn't feel comfortable sending Soda to work again until the guy who had shot him was caught. What if the guy came back and tried to get rid of the witness to his botched crime?

"Okay, thanks for letting me know," he said tiredly.

Two-Bit pulled a small card from his pocket and handed it to Darry. "One of the cops left his card," he said. "For what it's worth, he seemed like a pretty good guy to me."

Darry smiled lightly. "Well that does mean a lot, coming from you." Hearing that from Two-Bit of all people did put him more at ease. Perhaps if the cop wasn't too bad then Soda wouldn't be so stressed out about having to talk about what happened to him to a stranger. "Thanks, Two-Bit. I really appreciate your help."

"Of course, Darry," Two-Bit said with a shrug.

Darry tucked the card safely into his pocket before he headed back into the room. He saw that Pony had pulled his chair closer to Soda's bed and he was holding Soda's hand. Soda was shifting in his sleep and moaning lightly. Darry hurried to the other side of the bed just as Soda began blinking his eyes open.

"Hey, little buddy," Darry said gently, crouching down next to the bed.

Soda looked up at him groggily. "Darry?" he croaked. "You done with work already?"

Darry smiled. "Yeah, it's almost dinnertime." He figured with all the sleeping he had done that day Soda's sense of time was probably a little off.

Soda's eyes wandered to the window behind Darry, observing the fading light. "I slept all day?"

"Yeah, you really needed your beauty rest," Two-Bit said with a light laugh.

Soda shifted a little bit under his blankets and winced slightly. Darry frowned, hating seeing either of his brothers in any pain.

"Try to lay still," Darry said. He reached up and affectionately brushed Soda's hair off his forehead. As his hand brushed against Soda's skin he was surprised to find that he was a bit warmer than he had expected. "You feelin' okay?" he asked, concerned. He placed his hand more fully on Soda's forehead. "You feel a little warm."

"I feel cold," Soda said quietly, looking up at Darry with anxious eyes. Darry ran a comforting hand through his brother's hair. He didn't want to worry Soda any more than he had to, but he knew they couldn't take any chances right now with his condition.

"He's not sick, is he?" Pony asked with a worried look over at Darry.

"I dunno," Darry said quietly. "But we can't be too careful right now." He glanced up at Two-Bit. "Hey Two-Bit, could you see if you can track down a nurse?"

"Yeah, I'll kidnap one if I have to," Two-Bit said as he headed out of the room.

It only took a few minutes before Two-Bit reappeared with a young nurse in tow.

"What are his symptoms?" she asked as she approached the bed.

"He feels warm to the touch, but he says he's cold," Darry said.

The nurse took out a thermometer and took Soda's temperature. "It's a little elevated, but that's not unusual for just after surgery. He will also feel cold, especially in his hands and feet, due to the amount of blood that he lost as his body tries to catch up with itself."

"I thought that was what the transfusions were for," Darry said slowly.

"The transfusions stabilized him, but his body will still need to regenerate his own blood," she explained. "We'll keep a close eye on his temperature just to be sure." She made a note on Soda's chart and then pulled back his blanket a bit so that she could wrap a blood pressure cuff around his uninjured bicep. "It's still a little low," she said, looking over his chart after she checked his blood pressure. "But it looks like it's up some from a few hours ago, which is good." Darry nodded, but he still felt uneasy. "The doctor should be in to check on him soon, he'll be able to give you more information about Soda's recovery."

"Thank you," Darry said as the nurse replaced the chart and left the room.

Darry watched as Soda shifted around, pulling back his blanket a little and looking down at himself almost curiously.

"What're you doin', Soda?" Two-Bit finally asked, walking back up to the bed.

"What's that for?" Soda mumbled.

It took Darry a moment to realize that he was looking down at the bandage on his arm. "You got stitches in your arm," he said carefully. "One of the bullets just grazed your arm."

"Oh," Soda said vaguely. "I didn't even notice."

Darry placed a comforting hand on Soda's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, little buddy," he assured him.

"I got a transfusion?" Soda went on, looking up at Darry. "What's that mean?" He still sounded groggy but it seemed like a good sign that he was asking questions and seeming more aware of his condition.

"That means that they gave you blood from someone else," Darry explained. Then he smiled lightly. "They were low on blood. So actually you got some of Steve and Pony's blood. They both happened to be matches and made donations."

Soda looked at him curiously as the information sunk in. Then he slowly turned his head to look at Pony who was sitting on his other side, still holding his hand. "You don't like needles," he said slowly.

Pony grinned at him. "It wasn't so bad," he said.

Soda gave Pony's hand a weak squeeze. "Thanks, Pony," he said quietly.

"Of course, Soda," Pony said earnestly. "I'd take a million needles if it meant not losing you."

"I ain't goin' nowhere, Pony," Soda said with a smile.

Darry smiled lightly as he watched the scene. He knew that the night before could have been so much worse. They really could have lost Sodapop last night. He wasn't sure how any of them would have been able to deal with that, especially after everyone else they had lost just in the past year. It seemed that they were finally able to catch a break. Things were not as bad as they could be.

"Hey Pony," Darry spoke up. "Why don't you take Two-Bit and run down to the cafeteria and get us something for dinner." He knew he couldn't let himself be too distracted by Soda and forget to take care of his other little brother. His next goal would be trying to get Pony to get some sleep. He pulled out his wallet and handed Pony over a few bills and hoped it would be enough to get a decent amount of food here. He was starved. Then he stood up and settled himself into a chair next to Soda's bed.

"How long d'you think I'll have to stay here?" Soda asked after Pony and Two-Bit left.

"I dunno," Darry admitted. "We'll have to ask the doctor that when he comes to check up on you."

There was a short pause as he seemed to process this. "I'm sorry, Darry," Soda mumbled tiredly.

Darry gave a start. "What are you sorry for, Pepsi-Cola?" he asked softly.

"We can't afford for me to be in the hospital," he mumbled. "I know you're countin' on my paycheck too."

Darry frowned and placed a comforting hand on Soda's shoulder, looking at him seriously. "Don't you worry about any of that," he said firmly. "The bills will all get paid. You just focus on getting better. That is the only think I am concerned about. Okay, little buddy?"

Soda nodded slightly but he still looked troubled. Darry knew that the hospital probably had him on painkillers and that was still making him feel foggy and he probably wasn't thinking too clearly yet.

"It still hurts," Soda whispered.

"Yeah, I know," Darry said gently. "But you're okay now, and you're gonna get better. You just gotta rest." Soda seemed to relax a little. Darry figured it was as good a time as any to talk to him about the cops. He might not be as stressed out if it was just the two of them. He reached out and gently took Soda's hand. "Soda, Two-Bit told me the cops came by this afternoon and wanted to talk to you."

Soda immediately tensed. "I don't want to talk to them," he said quietly, sounding very young.

"I know you don't," Darry said. "But I really think that you should at least try. I'd feel a lot better if they were able to catch the guy that did this to you."

Soda just looked at him for several long seconds before he spoke again. "They didn't catch the guy?" he said slowly.

Darry silently cursed himself. He forgot that Soda was still putting together bits and pieces of what actually happened last night after he got shot. This was probably the most coherent he had been since the night before. Of course he wouldn't have realized the guy had gotten away. Darry should have realized this and broke the news more gently.

"No, they didn't," Darry said softly. "That's why this is so important." He paused for a minute as he allowed Soda to process this information. "How about I give them a call tomorrow after I'm done with work. I'll be here when they talk to you and if it gets too stressful for you I'll kick them out."

Soda was quiet as he thought this over. Finally he nodded slowly, looking at Darry carefully. "You'll be here?" he asked.

"Yes, I promise I'll be here," Darry said firmly. Soda nodded again and his eyes blinked heavily. "Go to sleep, Pepsi-Cola," he said quietly. Just a moment later his eyes closed and his breathing evened out as he drifted off again. He seemed so tired. Darry just hoped all this sleeping would do his brother some good.

"He go back to sleep?" Pony asked, a note of disappointment in his voice as he entered the room with a full tray of food, Two-Bit in tow.

"Yeah, just a minute ago," Darry said.

"I guess it's good that he's getting a lot of rest," Pony said, though he still looked unsure as he looked at his brother's still form.

"Yeah, it'll help him get better quicker," Darry assured him.

They divided up the food and were halfway through eating when Dr. Evans walked into the room. Darry put down his sandwich and quickly wiped off his hands as he stood up to greet the doctor.

"Good, Darrel," the doctor said as he stepped forward and shook Darry's hand. Pony and Two-Bit were sitting on the floor against the wall and both stayed put, though they had stopped eating as well and were watching the doctor carefully. Dr. Evans moved to the foot of Soda's bed as Darry went to stand next to it, his hand trailing down to brush against Soda's shoulder comfortingly even though he was still fast asleep. Dr. Evans picked up Soda's chart and read it for several minutes before he finally looked up at Darry. "Well so far everything is as good as we could hope for. All his vitals have been steadily improving since the surgery. It also says here that he woke up and appeared coherent several times today. All this is good news."

Darry smiled, feeling relieved. "So he's gonna be okay?" he asked bluntly, just to make sure.

Dr. Evans smiled lightly as he nodded. "He is young and otherwise very healthy, so as of right now I would expect him to make a full recovery." He made a few notes on the clipboard and then looked back up at Darry a little more seriously. "Normally I would want to keep a patient with this kind of injury here two weeks," he went on. "But if there is a financial issue… I would recommend he at least stay here for the next four to five days to make sure he is healing up properly. And even after that it'll take several weeks before he will begin to feel normal again and he will still need plenty of bed rest."

Darry hated that the doctor could just look at them and just assume that they would have financial issues. And he hated even more that he was completely right. He remembered when Pony had been sick five months ago they had struggled a lot with his hospital and doctors' bills. And that had been when they had both of Darry's paychecks along with Soda's paycheck. He looked down and studied Soda for a minute, noticing how he looked so much younger than seventeen as he slept. He wasn't going to deny his little brother medical care… but if he was stable he figured the sooner they could get him out of here the better. He knew Soda wasn't going to like staying in the hospital anyway and he was anxious to get his brother home.

"Okay, we'll see how he does," Darry said vaguely, not wanting to commit one way or the other just yet.

The doctor just nodded his understanding. "I'll have the nurses bring in some food in a little bit," he said, back to business. "He's going to need his strength so see if you can get him to eat some. The quicker we can get him eating and drinking regularly the better off he will be."

Darry nodded. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Of course," the doctor said as he replaced Soda's chart. "I will check on him again around this time tomorrow." And with that he left the room.

There was silence for several minutes before Pony finally stood up and approached the foot of the bed where the doctor had just been.

"If the doctor says he should be here two weeks…" Pony said slowly, looking up at Darry. Darry could tell what his youngest brother was thinking.

"I'm not gonna pull him out of the hospital any sooner than I have to," he assured Pony. "If he needs to stay the full two weeks, he will stay the full two weeks and we'll figure out the bills later. But if the doctor says he's stable enough and he's doing good at the end of the week, I think Soda would prefer finishing his recovery at home." That was at least partially the truth.

"But if money's the issue, I could get a job," Pony said.

Darry sighed. "No, Pony, you ain't getting a job," he stated. "We'll just see how he does and go from there, okay?"

"Okay," Pony said, but he didn't sound convinced.

Darry looked at him carefully, noticing the bags that were starting to form under his eyes. The kid looked dead tired. "Finish eating," Darry said. "Then you should probably try to get some shut eye. It doesn't look like you got any sleep last night." Darry skillfully avoided using the word 'nap,' knowing that Pony would only fight it more if he made it sound like a little kid activity.

"I slept some," Pony protested.

"If you put up a fight I'll make you go home and sleep," Darry warned.

That shut him up real quick. Darry wasn't real sure if he would have really followed through with his threat, but he was too tired to argue about it. Pony grudgingly went back to sit on the floor next to Two-Bit and moodily picked at his food.

Darry fought back a yawn as he sat back down in his chair and picked up his sandwich again. He looked over at Soda. At least one of the three of them was getting plenty of rest. He couldn't help but think back to five short months ago when it was Pony lying in the hospital bed and Soda not getting any sleep. _Please_ _get better soon, Soda,_ he thought to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_I don't ask for much_

_Truth be told I'd settle for_

_A life less frightening_

_- Rise Against (Life Less Frightening)_

Work was absolutely hell for Steve. News had somehow gotten around about what happened the night before at the DX and it seemed like everyone and their grandmother wanted his firsthand account of the events. It wasn't even just his coworkers either. Somehow the story had spread around town and hoods of all kinds kept popping into the garage to ask him questions. At one point Steve actually threw a wrench at a member of Tim Shepard's gang who wanted to know if the guy who got shot's job was available. After that Steve figured that word had gotten out that he wasn't in the mood to talk because no one else stopped in until his boss showed up an hour later.

"Hey Steve," Mike called from the front of the garage.

Steve was working under a Ford and pushed himself far enough to stick his head out from under the vehicle. "Hey," he said flatly.

"How are you holding up?" Mike asked.

Steve shrugged, impatient to get back under the car. At least working took his mind off things when everyone had finally started leaving him alone. "I'm fine," he said with no emotion, not quite looking right at his boss. He was actually very far from fine, he felt anxious being away from Soda. But that wasn't something he really wanted to discuss with his boss.

"Well if you wanna take off early, I'll cover the rest of your shift for you," Mike said.

Steve looked up at him in surprise. "Seriously?" he asked.

"Yeah," Mike said easily. "I'm sure you'll want to get back and check on Soda, right?"

Steve was already pushing himself out from under the Ford and clamoring to his feet. "Yeah, thanks I really appreciate it," he said quickly, not wanting to waste any time.

He started to head toward the store so he could clock out but Mike spoke up again. "Just head on over," he said. "I'll clock you out. Later."

Steve looked at him for a moment, too surprised to react at first. "Thank you," he said sincerely. He knew the extra money would come in handy since he was going to insist on giving some to Darry to help with Soda's hospital bills. He knew paying for that was going to be a struggle for them especially since they were going to be one paycheck short for a while. He also knew that Darry would be stubborn about taking his money, but he would be insistent and wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Steve hurried out to where he had left Two-Bit's car and jumped in, revving the engine loudly as he took off toward the hospital. He was quickly becoming very familiar with the route. He parked quickly and hurried in through the emergency room, cutting around a guy in a wheelchair who was moving far too slowly. Steve knew that Soda was probably still doing fine, the gang would know to call him up at work if anything happened, but still he felt better being able to see for himself.

He went directly up to Soda's room, not having to ask for directions. As he entered he found that Soda looked exactly like he had when he had left: pale and fast asleep. He looked around to the rest of the people in the room. Two-Bit was sitting on the floor, the deck of cards in one hand, flipping cards over and tossing them into a pile in front of him. Steve watched him for a minute, trying to figure out if he was playing a game of some sort, but his eyes were unfocused and he didn't really seem to be paying attention to what he was doing.

"Hey Steve," came Darry's soft voice.

Steve turned to look at Darry. He immediately saw the reason for the quiet voice. Ponyboy was stretched out across two chairs with his head resting on Darry's leg, out cold.

"Kid finally drop off?" Steve said as he walked more fully into the room. "Or did you drug him?"

Darry laughed lightly. "He was exhausted," he said in a low voice. "Didn't take much convincing." He looked up at Steve and studied him for a minute. "You could use some shut eye yourself."

Steve brushed off the comment. "How's he been doing?" he asked, nodding at his unconscious best friend.

"He's been good," Darry said with a smile. "He's been awake and talkin' a few times. The doc came in and said he's doing good and he expects him to make a full recovery. We even got him to eat a little bit a while ago."

Steve sighed in relief at this news. "That's good," he said with a slight smile.

"Yeah," Darry agreed. "So if you wanna head home and get some sleep…" He let the thought hang but Steve just rolled his eyes.

"Forget it," he said as he moved over to where Two-Bit was sitting. He plopped himself down across from Two-Bit. "Deal me in."

"Did you at least eat somethin'?" Darry asked.

"I grabbed some lunch before work," Steve said as Two-Bit gathered up the cards and began to shuffle.

Darry sighed and shook his head. "There's some leftover food from our dinner over there," he said, nodding toward a tray with a sandwich, a bag of chips and a few cookies. Steve couldn't believe that any of the boys in the room would have voluntarily left any food uneaten. They must have saved it on purpose.

Steve leaned over and pulled the tray over to him, grabbing the bag of chips and opening them. Then he turned back to Two-Bit who was dealing out the cards. He picked up his hand and started sorting through it. It was a crap poker hand.

"Got any sevens?" Two-Bit asked.

"What?" Steve said, confused. Then it dawned on him. "I am _not_ playing Go Fish." Two-Bit laughed.

"Just make sure you two keep it down," Darry reminded them, but his tone was light. Clearly they were all relieved by the good news about Soda's recovery. It looked like everything was going to turn out alright after all.

Steve finally convinced Two-Bit to switch to poker. They played for a good hour before Pony woke up and joined in. They invited Darry to join in, but he declined. After another half hour Steve saw why as Darry began dozing off in his chair. They were all finally relaxing, even Darry. Steve figured he would even get some sleep tonight, though it would probably be on the hospital floor. He didn't want to leave Soda here alone.

Steve yawned and stretched, in the middle of yet another poker game. He figured he might try and get some shut eye soon. He could barely keep his eyes open. He didn't sleep at all last night and only managed to get in about a two hour nap this afternoon and the exhaustion was really starting to catch up with him.

He glanced up at Soda and then back down at his hand, then did a double take when he heard a cough. He hadn't noticed that at some point Soda had shifted in his sleep, pushing the blankets that were over him away from the upper part of his body. Steve also noticed that there was a slight gleam on Soda's forehead that he didn't think was there before, like he was sweating. Steve's stomach dropped. Slowly he put his cards down and then stood up.

"What're you doin'?" Two-Bit asked, looking up at him curiously. Steve didn't answer, still studying Soda carefully. "Steve?"

Steve approached Soda's bed and then reached out and placed the back of his hand against Soda's forehead. He was warm and clammy. Steve frowned. "He's warm," he said softly, looking down at his friend with concern.

"The nurse said that it was normal for his temperature to be a little elevated after surgery," Pony said as both he and Two-Bit stood and came up behind Steve.

"I don't think he's supposed to be this warm, Pony," Steve said, dropping his hand back down. "He's definitely got a fever. And it's almost been twenty four hours since his surgery, he should be getting better." _Looks like we got our hopes up too soon,_ he thought bitterly.

Pony hurried around the bed to where Darry sat, his arms crossed over his chest and leaning forward slightly, his eyes closed and his breathing even. He must have been exhausted to been able to nod off in that position.

"Darry?" Pony said quietly, shaking Darry's shoulder. "Darry, wake up."

Darry jerked up, blinking against the light before he focused on Pony. "What is it, Pony?" Darry asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Soda's really warm," Pony said worriedly.

Darry was immediately on his feet, walking up to Soda's bedside. He frowned, seeing how Soda had pushed his blankets down and there was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. His breathing was also shallow. Darry reached up and placed a gentle hand on Soda's forehead. He sighed and then cursed under his breath.

"Can one of your get a nurse?" he asked. Two-Bit disappeared in an instant. Darry crouched down, one hand still resting on Soda's forehead and shaking his shoulder gently with the other. "Soda? Soda, wake up little buddy."

Soda moved his head back and forth, moaning lightly. He blinked blearily against the light. As he looked around Steve saw that his eyes were hazy and he wasn't really focusing on anything in particular.

"Soda?" Steve tried. Soda's eyes wandered in his direction but didn't really hit him. "Soda can you hear me?"

Soda didn't answer, his eyes just kept wandering around the room, confused. Darry was carefully stroking Soda's hair back, his panic barely contained behind his icy eyes. They all knew that this was not good at all.

"Please, Soda…" Darry said softly, but didn't get a chance to finish his thought, as just then a nurse hurried in with Two-Bit right behind her.

"What are his symptoms?" the nurse asked quickly.

"He's got a fever," Darry said, looking up at her.

"He also coughed," Steve added, figuring any information would be helpful.

The nurse quickly took his temperature. "102," she said quietly as she pulled his chart and quickly started writing. She grabbed a blood pressure cuff and as she was wrapping it around his arm Steve saw that it was shaking. As he watched he saw that Soda's whole body was beginning to shake. _No, no, no, no, _Steve thought to himself. Soda had been getting better, he had been improving. Why was he suddenly getting worse? "Low blood pressure," the nurse murmured, mostly to herself. Then she looked up and glanced around at the boys standing around the room as if she had just remembered that they were there. "I'll go page the doctor." And with that she was gone.

"But… but he was getting better," Pony said, his eyes wide as he looked at his trembling brother.

"Yeah, and now he ain't," Steve said a bit harshly.

Pony looked at him like he had hit him, but Steve pretended not to notice. He wasn't in the mood to baby Ponyboy tonight. He was dead tired and it looked like it was going to be another sleepless night full of worry for his best friend's life. Soda shifted and winced, then reached for his blankets. Darry helped him, pulling the blankets back over him securely, not paying any attention to the exchange between Pony and Steve. Soda was shaking even more and still not responding to anyone in the room.

"Where the hell is the doctor," Two-Bit muttered worriedly.

It was several more minutes before Dr. Evans finally hurried in with two nurses in tow. None of them acknowledged the boys in the room, going right to work on Soda, pulling back his blankets as they worked. Carefully they pulled back the bandage that covered the bullet hole in his chest. Two-Bit gently pulled Pony back out of the way and Steve stepped back as well, avoiding looking at the angry wound. Darry tried to stay by Soda's side but was forced to move back as well as the nurses moved around the bed. The four Greasers were silent as they watched.

Pony shifted uncomfortably when one of the nurses started taking a blood sample, the other nurse holding Soda's trembling arm as still as possible.

"But he just got blood," Pony mumbled, glancing over at Darry, clearly disturbed that they were taking more blood away from his brother.

Darry finally stepped forward. "What's happening?" he asked.

The doctor glanced up at him. "It looks like an infection," he said as he quickly scribbled on Soda's chart. One of the nurses hurried from the room with the blood sample. "It could be sepsis. We'll start him on general antibiotic right away as we test his blood so that we can isolation what kind of infection this could be."

"What's sepsis?" Darry asked slowly.

"It's more commonly known as blood poisoning," the doctor explained. "It's not very common but it can be deadly if we don't catch it right away."

_Blood poisoning_, Steve thought, his stomach dropping. That sounded really bad. As he glanced around the room he could see that everyone was thinking the same thing.

The nurse came back into the room carrying a bag of clear liquid as the other one began to re-bandage Soda's chest. She handed the bag to the doctor and he switched it out with the IV bag that had already been there. Steve studied the bags. They had switched one clear liquid for another clear liquid. How was that supposed to be helpful?

"I'll put a rush on his blood work," the doctor said, replacing the chart. "I'll be back when I have the results. In the meantime, even though he feels cold try to keep the blankets off of him, his fever may get worse." And with that the doctor turned and left.

"Damn hospital staff," Steve suddenly spat. "If we weren't here they might not have checked on him for hours. Isn't that their job to know when he's going downhill?"

"Steve," Darry sighed as he approached the bed again.

"No, he was getting better!" Steve insisted harshly. "If they had paid more attention to him, if they had actually done their damn jobs he wouldn't be getting worse right now. He shouldn't get better and then worse again when he's in the damn _hospital_!"

Two-Bit placed a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Easy, buddy," he said softly. "They're gonna help him."

"I'm cold," Soda mumbled, reaching down toward his blankets. His soft voice cut off Steve's loud ranting and he snapped his mouth shut, his eyes pleading for his best friend to get better.

"No Soda," Darry said gently, taking Soda's hand. "You've got a fever, you're burning up."

Soda shook his head and groaned. It was disturbing to see Soda so out of it. Even when he had first woken up from surgery he seemed at least vaguely aware of what was going on. Suddenly Pony disappeared from the room. Steve turned and raised an eyebrow at Two-Bit. Maybe the kid couldn't handle it. But then he returned a minute later carrying damp paper towels from the restroom. He approached his brother's bed and pulled the chair up close, carefully placing the cool cloth against Soda's forehead. Soda winced away from the touch.

"It's okay, Soda," Pony whispered.

Steve just stared. Guess the kid could use his head. His idea was certainly more useful than ranting and raving. He sighed as he watched Soda continue to tremble, his eyes unfocused. _Please don't leave us, Soda…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

_If I don't say this now I will surely break  
As I'm leaving the one I want to take  
Forget the urgency but hurry up and wait  
My heart has started to separate_

_- The Fray (Look After You)_

Darry smiled over at Pony as he sponged Soda's forehead. Pony gave him a half smile back, trying to hide his fear, though he didn't think he was too successful. Soda shifted restlessly, wincing in the process.

"You gotta stay still, Soda," Pony said softly, a hint of pleading in his voice. Soda let out another cough and then moaned softly. Pony felt his stomach twist painfully, hating seeing his brother like this. He looked up at Darry for reassurance, but the look on his face told Pony that he was just as worried.

The room was silent and still except for Soda's occasional coughs and moans as they all waited for the doctor to return. There was tension in the air and every face was solemn as they all wondered how this was going to turn out. They had all been so convinced that Soda was going to be fine and now they had to watch him get worse again. How was any of this fair?

Finally, almost an hour later, Dr. Evans came back. Everyone stiffened, watching him intently. His face was very serious, perhaps even grave. Clearly he did not come to bring good news to them. Even as he began speaking a nurse was already switching out Soda's IV fluid for a different bag of clear liquid. Without really thinking about it Pony reached out and took Soda's shaking hand for support, even though he didn't appear aware of what was going on.

"I'm afraid that we were able to confirm that it is, in fact, sepsis," he said flatly. "This is an extremely serious diagnosis. We are switching him to more aggressive antibiotics."

It was like all the air was sucked out of the room as everyone attempted to digest this news. Pony felt all the blood rushing out of his face and he squeezed Soda's shaking hand tighter, wishing his brother would squeeze back. Soda's eyes were halfway open but he still wasn't focusing on anything.

"You said that it could be life threatening," Darry said slowly from his seat next to Soda's bed. "What… what are his chances?" Clearly they were all wondering the same thing. Was Soda going to die?

"Sepsis is most dangerous to the very young and the very old as well as people with compromised immune systems," the doctor explained. "Since this patient does not fall into any of those categories, he does have a good chance."

"_This patient_," Steve suddenly snapped, his eyes angry, his hands balled into fists. "Do you even know his _name _for Christ's sake?"

"Easy, Steve," Two-Bit said, putting a hand on Steve's shoulder to restrain him. Pony watched Steve carefully, very familiar with his dangerous temper. He wondered if he might actually hit the doctor.

"Why don't you two take a walk," Darry suggested calmly.

"Yeah, c'mon," Two-Bit said to Steve, tugging on him and leading him out of the room. Steve angrily shrugged out of Two-Bit's grip and stomped out into the hallway, Two-Bit following close behind him.

Darry sighed. "Sorry," he said, glancing up at the doctor. "They've been best friends since they were kids and he was there when he got shot. He's been a little edgy since."

Dr. Evans nodded, seemingly unfazed by the outburst. "It's understandable," he said. "And, by the way, the patient's name is Sodapop. That's a hard one to forget."

Darry smiled lightly. Then he focused back on Soda, his eyes stormy. "So, you said his chances were good?" he prompted, obviously wanting to get back to the subject of Soda's health rather than Steve's temper.

The doctor nodded. "I can't guarantee anything, but there is definitely hope that he will be able to recover from this. We caught it early and it is still in a mild state, which also improves his chances. We are going to keep a very close eye on him and hopefully his body will begin responding to the medication soon." The doctor seemed about to say something else but was cut off by a sudden wheezing sound.

Pony whipped around and was horrified to see Soda suddenly gasping for air, panic in his eyes. "Soda?" he said frantically, his own panic barely contained.

"What's happening?" Darry asked quickly, but Dr. Evans was quick to react. He was already looking over Soda as he listened to his chest with his stethoscope. He looked down at Soda's hand and then suddenly he turned to Soda's IV, quickly removing the bag of medicine that had just been hooked up. As Pony looked down at Soda's hand where the IV had been dripping into he saw hives making their way up his brother's arm.

"Epinephrine," he said tersely to a nurse who hurried out of the room. She ran back in not even a minute later with a syringe in her hand, quickly injecting it into Soda's shoulder without any further orders. The difference was immediate as Soda's breathing quickly calmed down and he seemed to relax.

As Darry reached over and took his hand, Pony realized that he was shaking. "What happened?" Darry asked, looking up at the doctor who was scribbling on Soda's chart.

"It was an allergic reaction to the medication," Dr. Evans said. "I suspect that it was the penicillin but we will have to test to be sure. We will test right away so that we can safely get him on new medication. Time is of the essence right now." Pony felt numb as he watched the doctor prick Soda's skin with another needle. He felt his heart sinking down in his chest. Apparently Soda's body wouldn't even accept the medicine that was supposed to help him get better. It only took a minute for Soda's skin to turn red and bubble up. "He is allergic to penicillin," the doctor confirmed making a note on his chart. "We will start him on alternate medications right away."

"Will the alternate medications work as well?" Darry asked slowly.

"Yes, they will," the doctor assured them as a nurse came in with yet another bag of clear fluid. He hesitated for a moment, looking carefully at Darry. "The alternate medication will be more expensive in the long run though."

Darry sighed. "That's fine," he said flatly, giving his consent. Pony knew that by the time this was all over, no matter what the outcome, they were going to be in a lot of debt. It was difficult to be too concerned about that right now though. They would deal with that later when Soda was better. Hopefully…

"We're also going to hook him up to oxygen as a precaution just to try to keep him as stable as possible," the doctor went on. "His lungs will be vulnerable because of the surgery." As if to prove his point Soda coughed again, more aggressively than before and then moaned loudly, reaching one hand toward the bandage on his chest as the nurse hooked up the new IV bag.

Another nurse came in a minute later with an oxygen tank, quickly hooking it up next to Soda's bed. She placed a clear mask over Soda's nose and mouth. The doctor excused himself, urging them to page a nurse if they saw any changes in his condition at all. Darry and Pony both watched their brother carefully, his breathing thankfully evening out after a few minutes.

"Pony?" came Darry's gentle voice. As Pony looked up at him he realized that his vision was clouded by unshed tears. "You okay?"

Pony took in a shuddering breath, blinking the tears back. He needed to be strong. "It's just… he was getting better…" he said quietly, still in shock. The doctor had said that this was just mild; he would hate to see what more severe sepsis looked like. He just couldn't seem to wrap his head around how just an hour ago they were all so happy that Soda healing and now suddenly he was back on oxygen, shaking and even more disoriented than he had been when he first woken up from surgery. How had this happened so quickly?

"Yeah, I know," Darry said flatly. "C'mere, Pony." He indicated the chair next to him. Pony gave Soda's hand a light squeeze, still getting no response from his brother, and then stood and circled the bed. As he settled himself into the seat next to Darry, his oldest brother put an arm over his shoulders. It was odd being comforted like this by Darry, but Pony leaned into him anyway. "Soda's a fighter, Pony," Darry said softly. "He won't give up on us."

"I hope not," Pony said dully. He didn't feel very hopeful looking down at his trembling brother.

"You know, it wasn't that long ago that it was me and Soda sitting at your hospital bed," Darry said quietly. "You had us scared to death too. If you weren't unconscious, you were delirious and didn't make much sense most of the time or even seem to know that we were there. But you pulled through and came back to us. I'm sure Soda will do the same thing."

Pony looked up at Darry, not for the first time noticing how much older he looked. Just in the past year he seemed to have aged more than he should have. "Guess it was Soda's turn to give you grey hair," Pony said, smiling slightly.

Darry smiled back, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess so," he agreed lightly.

Pony paused for a moment. "You think Steve's gonna be okay?" he asked slowly, thinking about how he had stormed out.

"Two-Bit will keep him from causing too much damage," Darry assured him. "He just needs to blow off some steam. He also needs to get some sleep."

"Maybe if you hit him over the head," Pony suggested with a small laugh.

"Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind," Darry said. Pony wasn't quite sure if he was kidding or not.

Pony reached forward and took Soda's hand again, still hoping in vain that his brother would make some indication that he knew he was there. "You gotta fight this, Soda," Pony said softly. Darry gave him a squeeze in support. "You can't leave us… you just can't."

XxXxX

"Wait up!" Two-Bit called to Steve as he hurried after him through the halls of the hospital, earning them a boatload of dirty looks from hospital staff. Steve was quicker than Two-Bit and might have been able to lose him if he hadn't had to wait for the elevator. "Where d'you think you're gonna go?" Two-Bit asked as he caught up to Steve who was staring intently at the closed elevator door.

"Anywhere else," Steve spat.

There was a ding and the doors finally opened. Two-Bit stepped in right after Steve and they rode down to the first floor in silence. Two-Bit followed after Steve as he stormed out of the hospital and into the cool night air.

"Hang on a minute," Two-Bit finally said as they reached the parking lot. He grabbed Steve's shoulder and pulled him to a stop. Steve spun around and Two-Bit tensed, ready to block if Steve threw a punch at him. It certainly wouldn't be the first time and Two-Bit was actually sober enough to anticipate it this time. Thankfully the blow didn't come, Steve simply glared. That was a good sign that he was starting to come down off of his rage and might be more reasonable now. "C'mon, let's have a smoke," Two-Bit said, pulling out his pack of Kools and holding it out as a peace offering.

Steve just glared for a minute longer before roughly grabbing the pack. "Fine," he snapped. He shook out a cigarette as he turned and continued through the parking lot, Two-Bit close on his heels. They approached Two-Bit's car and sat on the bumper. Two-Bit took his Kools back as Steve lit up.

"So?" Two-Bit prompted as he lit up his own cancer stick. He leaned back on his car and exhaled smoke into the air. "What's on your mind, friend?"

"It's such bullshit," Steve raged. "First they tell us he's gonna be fine, then they tell us he might die? It's like they don't even know what they are fucking doing!" He hunched over and took a long drag off his cigarette and Two-Bit watched the anger drain off his face, quickly replaced by an emotion that he had rarely seen on Steve's face before. Despair. "First Johnny… now Soda… can't those damn doctors save anyone?"

"Pony came out of the hospital five months ago," Two-Bit pointed out before he realized what Steve was really saying. He turned to Steve, surprise on his face at what he was insinuating. "Hey, Soda's not dying, you know. You can't just give up on him like that."

Steve snorted. "You see how fast he got worse?" he said dully. "He couldn't even hear us."

"It's just 'cause of the fever," Two-Bit insisted. "Soda's just sick. He's not hurt like Johnny was. You know Soda. You know he can fight through this." Steve just stared down at the ground. "C'mon Steve. You of all people can't give up on him."

"What am I supposed to do?" Steve suddenly snapped. "Sit at his bedside day and night, hold his hand, tell him it's gonna be okay? Watch my best friend die? I've already done that once in the last twenty-four hours. When those shots went off and he fell behind that counter I thought for sure I had just watched him die. And when I saw that he wasn't dead I held his hand and told him everything was gonna be okay even though I didn't even believe that as I watched him bleed all over the place and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. How many times am I supposed to do that?" He paused and took another drag off the cigarette. "We're Greasers, Two-Bit. A happy ending isn't a given for us."

"So what's the plan then?" Two-Bit demanded. "Run off? Look for a fight to blow off steam? Booze it up until you can't think anymore? Think that'll be better than sitting with your sick best friend? Think Soda will be grateful for that?"

"Look who's talking," Steve muttered. "You're hardly ever sober."

"Yeah, well I'm sober now," Two-Bit pointed out. He sighed and leaned forward, resting is elbows on his knees and looking over at Steve carefully, though Steve avoided his gaze. "Listen, if the worst does happen, I'll be right next to you at Buck's gettin' wasted and pickin' fights. But for now I'm not gonna abandon Soda. You do what you gotta do, man. But just remember, Soda's still here."

They were silent for a long time, silently smoking their cigarettes down to the filters. Finally Two-Bit tossed his butt down and stepped on it. With one small glance at Steve he shoved his hands in his pockets and headed back toward the hospital, not looking back to see if Steve was following him. He had said his peace. If Steve didn't want to listen then there was nothing more he could do. Lord knows that you can't convince Steve Randall to do anything that he doesn't want to do. And Two-Bit wasn't going to chase him all around town while Soda lay in a hospital bed fighting for his life.

As Two-Bit reentered the hospital room he was alone. He looked over at Soda and saw that he now had a clear mask over his nose and mouth. He was still trembling but his eyes were closed and he appeared to be resting. Pony had moved around the bed and was now sitting next to Darry, reaching out to hold Soda's shaking hand. Darry had apparently gotten more cold paper towels and was moving them gently around Soda's forehead and neck in a small attempt to cool him down.

"How's he doing?" Two-Bit asked carefully as he approached the bed.

Darry and Pony both looked at him. Darry shrugged and sighed, looking back down at his brother. "The same. He had an allergic reaction to the medicine after you left so they had to switch him to different ones. But the doc said that he's got a good chance since we caught it early. We just gotta wait and hope that his body responds to the medication." He looked back up at Two-Bit. "Where's Steve?"

It was Two-Bit's turn to sigh heavily. "I left him in the parking lot. I did what I could… just gotta hope he listens."

Darry nodded, understanding how Steve was when he was upset. Two-Bit took a seat on the other side of Soda's bed, facing the Curtis brothers. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied Soda, saying silent prayers to anyone who might be listening. If they lost another member of their gang he didn't know how any of them would deal with it.

A few minutes later he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Steve standing in the doorway, all anger gone from his face, leaving only exhaustion and worry. He shifted uncertainly; as if unsure he was allowed in the room.

"Hey Steve," Darry said gently.

"Hey," Steve said flatly, looking down at the floor. "Is… is he doin' okay?"

Darry nodded. "He seems to be hangin' in there," he said. "He's resting now. Doc says that's he's got a pretty good chance since we caught it early."

Steve didn't look happy about the news, but he nodded. He walked into the room but rather than taking the empty seat next to Two-Bit he sat on the floor against the wall opposite the foot of Soda's bed. His knees were up and he rested his elbows on top of them with his hands resting on his head as it leaned back up against the wall behind him, looking defeated. Two-Bit knew better than to comment, knowing that Steve was only holding it together by a thread. He had been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours and the events were obviously taking a huge toll on him.

Everyone was quiet. Even though it was getting late, there was no mention of Darry going home because he had to go to work the next morning. They all knew better than to suggest that. They were all in this together. Each Greaser settled themselves in, getting as comfortable as they could. It was going to be a long night.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

_If strength were born from heartbreak_

_Then mountains I could move_

_If walls could speak I pray_

_That they would tell me what to do_

_- Rise Against (Drones)_

XxXxX

It was after midnight and even the noises outside of Soda's hospital room were beginning to die down. Darry sat next to the hospital bed, refusing to give in to his heavy eyelids, keeping a constant watch on his sick brother. He kept on stroking Soda's hair and fetching him cool towels from the bathroom to wipe down the sweat accumulating on his face and neck. Every so often Soda would stir restlessly and his eyes would open and wander around the room but he never seemed to respond to anyone in the room. His fever had been steadily climbing all night and the last time the nurse had checked it he had just hit 104. His blood pressure had also dropped and the doctor seemed very concerned about that as he changed the medication in the IV drip again. Overall, Soda was steadily getting worse.

Finally around one in the morning both Pony and Steve, the two most exhausted in the room since they had been with Soda the entire night before, lost the battle against their sleep deprivation. Pony was doubled over in his chair, his head resting on the edge of Soda's hospital bed on top of his folded arms. The position looked far from comfortable – Darry's back hurt just looking at him – but Darry wasn't about to risk waking him, knowing full well that he hadn't wanted to fall asleep to begin with. Steve had also drifted off and at some point had laid down on the probably less than sanitary hospital floor, curled up on one side with one arm bent under him for a pillow. Darry had taken one of Soda's blankets, seeing as his fever showed no signs of breaking, and covered Steve with it.

Now it was just Darry and Two-Bit keeping a vigilant watch over Soda, looking for any hints that maybe he would get better.

Finally Two-Bit sighed, breaking the silence. He looked up at Darry. "You wanna get some sleep or somethin'?" he asked. "I can watch him for a while."

Darry slowly shook his head, knowing that he wouldn't sleep soundly again until Soda was better. "That's okay," he said quietly.

"I just feel like I should do somethin' helpful," Two-Bit said, running a hand through his hair. "I feel so useless."

"You're not the only one," Darry said tiredly, leaning back in his chair. He glanced from Pony to Steve, both sound asleep. "Maybe tomorrow you could run to the house and get Pony and Steve some clean clothes," he suggested. "They've been in those same clothes since yesterday, they're gonna get pretty ripe soon."

Two-Bit laughed dryly. "Sure, I can do that," he said. Then he paused and looked at Darry carefully. "Darry… how long can you afford to take off work?"

Darry sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he leaned forward and ran a hand over his face. "Not long," he said quietly looking down at the floor. The truth was he couldn't afford to take any time at all off, but he knew that he just couldn't bring himself to leave Soda in this condition. "I'll call in tomorrow. God willing, we'll see some sort of improvement sometime tomorrow and I'll be able to go in on Friday. We'll see though."

Two-Bit nodded, seriously. "You know, if you guys need any help, all you have to do is ask," he said. "We'll figure something out to keep you guys afloat."

Darry nodded vaguely. As much as he hated excepting help from others, especially his friends that he knew struggled as well, he knew that he would do whatever it took to keep him and his brothers together, pride be damned. But it would still be a last resort in his mind.

Darry was pulled from his thoughts by a mumbling noise. He looked down to find Soda looking up at him. His eyes were still hazy but they were fixed on him. Darry reached over and placed a gentle hand on Soda's face, disappointed when he felt just as hot as he did before. For a moment he had allowed himself to hope that maybe his brother's fever was breaking. His heart ached as Soda looked up at him, still trembling, looking confused and afraid.

"It's okay, Pepsi-Cola," Darry said softly, gently taking Soda's hand. "Just hang in there, okay? You're gonna get better real soon, I promise." Soda tried to say something, but Darry couldn't understand him through the clear mask covering his nose and mouth so he just gently shushed him, willing his brother to rest. Finally after a few minutes Soda's eyes fluttered closed again.

"D'you suppose that's a good sign?" Two-Bit asked slowly. "At least he seemed to know that you were there this time."

"Maybe," Darry said, his expression guarded. At this point he simply felt lost. He didn't know anything about this kind of thing. He didn't even really understand what was happening to his brother right now. He was useless with no way to really help his brother. All he could do was sign consent forms as he sat at his bed side and trust that the doctors would somehow be able to help him.

The night dragged on. Despite his best efforts Darry found himself dozing off a few times. He noticed that Two-Bit did as well. Nurses came every half hour to check Soda's temperature and blood pressure, both of which were holding steady, and occasionally drawing blood to test.

It was early in the morning when Pony and Steve began to stir. Darry was grateful that they each seemed to get almost a solid five hours of sleep, which was more than he could say for him and Two-Bit. Two-Bit disappeared soon after they woke, returning a half hour later with a change of clothes for each – for Steve he just brought a set of Soda's clothes so he wouldn't have to actually go to Steve's house and risk disturbing his father – and food from the house so they wouldn't have to buy any. Darry was forced to leave Soda's side for a few minutes in order to call his boss and let him know that he wouldn't be in that day.

The atmosphere in the room was relatively subdued throughout the day. There were a few halfhearted games of poker played on the floor, but everyone was too distracted to really concentrate on the game, that point made evident by the obvious lack of cheating. Pony, Two-Bit and Steve stepped outside a few times to smoke. Soda's condition was continuing to hold steady and all they could do was hope that he didn't get any worse.

It was after six in the evening when Dr. Evans entered the room again, his expression as serious as the last time they saw him when he had informed them that Soda had sepsis. Darry felt his stomach drop. He glanced down at Pony who was sitting on the floor along with Steve and Two-Bit. His eyes gave away his fear as he apparently read the doctor's body language the same way Darry had. Pony slowly got to his feet and slid into the seat next to Darry. Without really thinking Darry reached over and took his youngest brother's hand for support, bracing himself for more bad news.

"I just got Sodapop's most recent blood test results," he said without any preliminaries. "His blood work shows the beginnings of kidney failure."

There were several moments of complete silence. Darry looked down at Soda. He didn't look any different than he had for the past twelve hours or so. But apparently somehow he was still getting worse. Why couldn't they just catch a break?

"What can you do for him?" Darry finally asked, his voice oddly quiet. There just had to be something that could be done for his brother, he refused to think even for a moment that this could be it. They couldn't lose Soda.

"We are going to start him on dialysis right away," Dr. Evans said.

"What's dialysis?" Darry asked. He felt numb as he stared at his brother. He couldn't even remember what a person's kidneys did. It had been a long time since his high school biology class.

"It's a procedure that we use to filter toxins out of the blood stream, something that is usually done by a person's kidneys," Dr. Evans explained patiently.

"Will… will he get better?" It was Pony who spoke, his voice shaking slightly as he squeezed Darry's hand.

"He may," the doctor said, but he didn't sound very reassuring. "We are going to increase his medications and if he can beat this infection his kidneys could start functioning properly again. The failure is acute right now and dialysis will help to minimize the damage to his organs. This is not necessarily permanent."

Darry nodded but he felt his hope failing. There were a lot of "if's" which wasn't terribly reassuring. He took a deep breath, trying to get his bearings. "So… how does it work?"

"It's very simple," the doctor said. "We put a needle in each arm. Blood will flow out one arm and into a machine, which will filter the blood before it reenters his body through the other arm. The process will take about three or four hours. After that we will be able to reassess the condition of his kidneys and he may not need another procedure for several days."

Darry swallowed. "Okay," he said flatly.

The doctor nodded. "I'll get the nurses to start setting up," he said. "After he is finished I would like to do more tests to check on his other organs and see how they are holding up."

Darry just nodded, unable to string together any words at the moment. The situation was looking more and more bleak and hopeless. The doctor turned and walked out of the room, leaving the stunned Greasers alone with only Soda's ragged breathing for noise. Was this really happening right now?

Darry looked down at Pony, whose eyes were wide in shock, his expression unnervingly close to the one he wore the night their parents died. Then he turned his gaze to their two friends still sitting on the floor. Steve was hunched over with his head in his hands, his fingers gripping at his hair like he might be about to pull it out. Two-Bit was leaning over with a comforting hand on Steve's back, but his own despair was painfully apparent in his eyes. Darry turned back to Soda, who had not moved except for the ever present trembling that accompanied his high fever. He reached out and placed a hand on Soda's shoulder.

"Please keep fighting, Soda," he said quietly.

Two nurses entered a few minutes later wheeling in a large and intimidating looking machine. Darry watched carefully as they set it up on the other side of Soda's bed. One of the nurses looked especially concerned as she cleaned off Soda's arms.

"Would you consent to restraining his arms?" she asked, looking at Darry. "I'm concerned that his shaking may disturb the needles after they are in place."

Darry suddenly pictured Soda tied down to the bed in handcuffs. It was an awful image. Soda didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve to be in handcuffs, it was the guy who did this to him who should be in handcuffs. He was silent for a moment. Pony looked up at him curiously, clearly torn as well. Finally Darry slowly shook his head.

"No," he said as firmly as he could. He reached over and placed a hand on top of Soda's wrist. "We'll keep his arms steady."

The nurse nodded. "These needles are a little thick," she told him as she got the equipment ready. "They will be a little painful going in and he might react to that. After they are set it shouldn't hurt though and he should relax again. He may have a little bruising around the needles, but if the bruising seems to spread then get a nurse right away." Darry nodded to show that he understood. "You might want to try to wake him up. He might be less startled that way."

Darry pulled his chair closer to the bed. He ran a gentle hand over Soda's forehead, feeling how hot he still felt. "Hey Soda," Darry said softly. "Hey, wake up, little buddy." After a little more prompting Soda began to stir. His eyes blinked open, glazed over as he looked around confused. "You're going to feel a little pinch in your arm, Soda, but it'll be over quick." Darry wasn't quite sure if he really comprehended what was happening, but he figured he should at least try to warn him.

The nurse started with the arm on Darry's side of the bed. He placed a firm hand on Soda's arm to help keep it steady and kept the other hand resting gently on Soda's forehead. As the needle pierced his skin he let out a pained yelp and instinctively flinched away from the pain but Darry was able to keep his arm perfectly still. "Sh, it's okay, Soda," Darry soothed, stroking his hair. Soda only whimpered in response. Darry hadn't heard Soda whimper like that since he was very little. He almost lost his self-control at that moment, but somehow found a way to keep himself together.

The nurse moved around the bed to do the other arm. Before Darry had a chance to move Steve suddenly appeared at Soda's side. Darry was surprised. A moment ago it didn't look like Steve was very functional. His eyes were hollow and haunted as he looked down at his friend, but his hands were steady as he placed them on Soda's arm just above where the nurse was preparing the needle.

"Hang in there, Soda," Steve said softly. "Just one more pinch."

As the second needle pierced his skin Soda yelped louder and flinched away. Darry watched as his brother's eyes clouded over and several tears streaked down his cheeks. His heart broke at the sight. He carefully wiped the tears away and Soda's eyes shifted to look at him.

"It's okay, it's over now," Darry assured him.

The nurse hit a few buttons on the machine and it whirred to life. Red filled the tube coming out of Soda's arm on Steve's side and disappeared into the dialysis machine. Darry watched carefully and a moment later a different tube turned red as blood flowed back into Soda's body through the tube on his side of the bed.

The nurses cleaned up and quietly left the room. Steve settled into a chair on the other side of the bed, his hands still resting on Soda's arm, keeping it steady. Darry mimicked him with Soda's other arm. Two-Bit took the seat next to Steve, looking grim. Darry placed his other hand on Pony's leg for comfort. Pony looked up at him, his eyes wide and full of pain at what he just witnessed.

"He… he doesn't understand what's going on," Pony said quietly, his voice shaking.

Darry just nodded solemnly. He couldn't imagine what kind of hell Soda must be in right now. To feel the pain from the needles but to not know why there was that pain.

The group fell into silence as no one quite knew what to say about this very sudden turn of events. They all quietly watched Soda, as if they would be able to see some kind of improvement as the treatment went on.

The hours dragged on. Nurses kept on coming in to check on him but there was never any change. Darry kept checking Soda's arms, making sure the bruises around the needles weren't getting any bigger. No one mentioned anything about dinner. None of them had any kind of appetite. Pony finally had to leave to go smoke though, Two-Bit going with him.

"You holding up okay, Steve?" Darry asked when they were alone.

Steve snorted quietly as he shrugged a shoulder. "I guess," he said softly. He paused for a moment and then spoke again. "I mean, when the doc was talkin' about _if_ he can beat this, _maybe_ this isn't permanent… was it just me or did it sound like he was trying to say fat chance."

Darry sighed. "Yeah, he didn't sound too confident," he admitted. He paused. "Thanks for being here, Steve."

Steve looked up at him. "It's not easy… but it's the right thing to do," he said quietly. "I should be here for Soda."

Pony and Two-Bit returned to their posts a few minutes later. Darry put a comforting arm over Pony even as he kept his other hand on Soda's arm. Pony leaned into him for support. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the nurses came back to unhook Soda from the dialysis machine. Soda took no notice as they took the needles out of his arms.

Dr. Evans came back and after listening to Soda's chest with his stethoscope he said that Soda's lungs sounded good but he was concerned about his heart. He had more nurses come in and hook Soda up to a heart monitor, which after turned on reveled that his heartbeat was irregular. The nurses changed his IV fluid yet again – Darry had lost count of how many different medications they had tried – and thankfully his heartbeat eventually evened out.

Soda now had wires crisscrossing his chest along with the IV drip and the oxygen mask. Of course this was all in addition to the bandages covering his bullet wounds. How much worse could this get? How many more things could go wrong before Soda's body gave up altogether?

It was getting close to midnight again and everyone was dozing in and out of consciousness, except for Darry who was keeping watch over everyone.

_Mom? Dad? Anyone who may be listening? _He thought, glancing up at the ceiling. _Please don't take Soda away from us. Please… we need some kind of miracle. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

'_Cause I am due for a miracle_

_I'm waiting for a sign_

_And I'll stare straight into the sun_

_And I won't close my eyes_

_Till I understand or go blind_

_- Thrice (Stare at the Sun)_

XxXxX

He was so tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. Soda's head felt foggy and he found it a little odd that he didn't really know what was going on around him. He felt so cold and so tired and wondered how long all this would last. He didn't even really know what was happening to him and that scared him. He knew there were people around him. He tried to ask them what was happening but somehow no one seemed to understand him. That scared him even more. What was going on?

XxXxX

It was Saturday. Darry had called into work for the third day in a row, refusing to leave his brother's side. Steve already had the day off, so he didn't have to bother himself with calling in as well, though he had called in the day before when Soda had showed no signs of improvement. Two-Bit's words had really gotten through to him. As long as Soda was still breathing, he couldn't abandon his friend no matter what he was feeling.

Throughout the day the gang did their best to occupy themselves. There were a lot of card games played on the floor next to Soda's bed. Steve and Two-Bit disappeared around lunch time to get food for everyone. They neglected to mention that they didn't exactly pay for the food that they got store across the street. Two-Bit's skills really came in handy at that point. They all ate very little, no one having much of an appetite as they watched Soda's condition deteriorating.

It had been almost ninety-six hours since Soda had been shot while working at the DX. It had been almost seventy-two hours since they had noticed his fever in order to diagnose his sepsis. No one said anything but you could see it in each of the boys' eyes. They were all losing hope.

It was getting late but none of them felt much like eating dinner. Darry was at his usual post right next to Soda's bed. Steve, Two-Bit and Pony were sitting on the floor in the middle of what felt like their three-hundredth card game in the past four days. At this point playing cards felt almost like a chore rather than a game. They were really starting to get sick of it but there wasn't much else to do to pass the time and it was a hell of a lot better than just sitting and staring at Soda covered in bandages with tubes and wires everywhere. Steve wasn't sure how Darry could do that all day long.

Steve felt on edge as he stared at his poker hand, hardly able to comprehend which cards he was holding. A minute later he remembered that they weren't even playing poker anymore, they had switched to gin rummy. That was really going to mess up the hand he was trying to play. He rubbed his temple with one hand. The incessant beeping from Soda's heart monitor punctuated every thought in his head, an audible reminder every few seconds of Soda's fight for his life. As he glanced around he could see that the noise put everyone else on edge as well. However at the same time they all knew that as annoying as the noise was if it were to stop their whole world would fall apart. The tension in the room was growing. How much longer could they all go on like this?

_Beep… beep… beep… beep… _

"Darry?"

_Beep…_

There was a half beat of silence as the tired voice echoed through the small hospital room. By the time the heart monitor beeped again everyone was up and crowding around Soda's bed. He looked up around at all of them, his eyes looking at each person individually seeming much more aware than he had seemed in two days.

"Soda?" Darry said softly. He placed a hand against Soda's cheek and smiled. He looked up at the rest of them. "I think his fever is breaking."

Two-Bit disappeared, probably to get a nurse. Steve thought he might collapse for a moment as relief flooded through him as he looked down at his best friend. He certainly looked better than he had just a few hours ago. The shaking had finally stopped and he didn't seem to be sweating as much, though he still looked unnaturally pale. Two-Bit returned a minute later with a nurse in tow. She quickly removed Soda's oxygen mask as she took his temperature and smiled.

"102.2," she read. She scribbled on his chart. "This is good news, I'll let the doctor know." And with that she was gone.

"Welcome back, Soda," Darry said with a smile.

"What happened?" Soda asked quietly, bringing his eyebrows together in confusion.

"You got real sick, little buddy," Darry said gently. "But you're getting better now."

Pony reached out and carefully took Soda's hand. Soda squeezed his hand lightly and Pony grinned down at him. Even the smallest acknowledgement seemed huge after days of Soda not even seeming to know they were there.

"Hey Pone," Soda said, his eyes wandering over to look at his younger brother, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Soda's voice was tired and a little hoarse, but it was still his voice. It was a wonderful sound to all of them.

"Hey Soda," Pony said, the relief clear in his voice. "Don't ever do that to us again, okay?"

"I'll try not to," Soda said with a light laugh. His eyes wandered up to the heart monitor next to his bed that was still steadily beeping. "That's annoying," he commented, obviously referring to the horribly repetitive noise. Everyone laughed loudly at the comment.

"It's good to see you back among the living, buddy," Two-Bit said with a grin.

Soda looked around at them again and Steve could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Steve ran a hand over his own face, feeling the stubble covering his chin from not shaving in several days. Darry had some stubble on his face as well. All four of them shared a dead tired look with bags under their eyes from the past couple restless nights. Overall they all looked a lot more ragged than usual.

"How long was I out?" Soda asked carefully.

"Your fever spiked Wednesday night," Darry told him steadily. "Today is Saturday. So about three days."

It took Soda a minute to absorb this. "Have you guys been here the whole time?" he asked.

They all nodded. "Yeah, pretty much," Two-Bit voiced.

Soda shifted his gaze and looked at Steve, who had been silent up until that point. "Hey, Steve," he croaked.

Steve grinned in spite of himself. "Glory, it's good to see you awake," he said, unable to suppress the massive relief in his voice. "How d'you feel?"

Soda's eyes drooped. "Tired," he mumbled.

"Just take it easy, little buddy," Darry said, placing a comforting hand on Soda's shoulder. "Your fever is still a little high, you're still recovering."

"Mmm," Soda mumbled as he began drifting off to sleep again. It was troubling to watch him falling back asleep already after he had just woken up after so long. But no one dared try to get him to stay awake. Despite all the sleeping he had done they all knew that he still needed more rest.

A few minutes later Dr. Evans entered the room. Pony, Steve and Two-Bit automatically backed up to give him some room while Darry stayed right next to the bed.

"He was awake?" the doctor asked immediately.

Darry nodded. "He seemed aware of what was going on too," he confirmed, unable to keep the hope out of his voice. He was practically pleading the doctor for good news.

"His fever breaking is very good," the doctor said with a smile as he looked down at the chart. Steve realized that it was the first time he had seen the doctor smile. That had to be a good sign. "We'll continue to monitor him carefully to be sure and he will still have a length recovery, but this is good. He's actually very lucky. Sepsis can last anywhere from days to weeks before we start to see any improvement in the condition."

Steve made a bit of a face at this comment, but no one seemed to notice. He remembered the doctor saying that Soda had been lucky when he came out of surgery. How lucky could he really be? First the guy gets shot, and then he develops a very severe and rare infection. That all seemed pretty unlucky to him. But he had to keep reminding himself that all this could have been so much worse. At least Soda was still here with them.

Dr. Evans replaced the chart and began wrapping a blood pressure cuff around Soda's uninjured arm. As he began checking his blood pressure Soda began to stir again, moaning lightly at the disturbance.

"It's okay, Soda," Darry assured him as Soda's eyes blinked open again. "He's just checking your blood pressure." Soda shifted his gaze to the doctor, looking curious.

"Hello, Sodapop," the doctor said with a light smile. "I don't think we have officially met yet. I'm Dr. Evans."

"Hey doc," Soda croaked weakly.

"You're still going to feel very tired," the doctor told him. "I want you to get as much rest as you can, okay, son?" Soda nodded slowly, his eyes watching the doctor blearily as he took off the blood pressure cuff and made a note on his chart. Then he took out a syringe. "I'm just going to take a little blood. Unfortunately I can't use the usual veins, I'm going to have to take a sample from your wrist. It'll sting a little bit, but it'll be over quick. I need to you keep very still."

Steve looked at Soda's arms. They still had band-aids from the dialysis needles. Poor guy was turning into a human pin cushion. Soda hadn't seemed to notice yet as he watched the needle enter his wrist. His face pinched up in pain and his muscles tensed. Darry reached out and took Soda's free hand, squeezing it comfortingly. A minute later it was thankfully over.

"What's that for?" Soda asked.

Dr. Evans glanced at Darry before he answered. "Just a general test," he said vaguely. Everyone knew what the doctor was actually testing for. He was testing to see if Soda's kidneys were still failing. Obviously he didn't want to stress Soda out with that information just yet. That would be something they would deal with later when hopefully Soda was feeling better. "Now I'm going to have some nurses come in and change your bandages so we don't have to wake you up again later. Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight." And with that he left.

Two nurses came in a minute later. They changed the bandage on his arm without any difficulty, but it was obvious that his other bandage was going to be a bit more troubling. The bandage wrapped all the way around his torso several times so there was no way to completely remove it while Soda was laying down.

"It might be easiest if two of you helped to lift him," the nurse said, looking around to the boys standing around the small hospital room. Darry stepped up immediately, the obvious choice since he was the strongest. Steve hurried to Soda's other side. "Just lift him up into a sitting position," the nurse instructed. "Go very slowly so as not to disturb his stitches."

Steve met Darry's eyes as they both took hold of Soda's shoulders. Together they slowly began to lift his upper body up. Soda immediately let out a hiss of pain at the movement. Darry snaked his free arm behind Soda's back in an attempt to give him more support, but it didn't seem to help much as Soda squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. As they raised him to a sitting position Steve put an arm across Soda's front over his upper chest to keep him from falling forward. Soda slowly raised his arms up and hooked his hands over Steve's arm, clutching him tightly.

"Sh, it's okay, little buddy," Darry soothed as the nurses quickly went to work unwrapping the bandage around his chest. "Just keep breathing, nice and slow." The nurses were very efficient but it still seemed to take forever for them to finish. Soda became more tense as the seconds dragged on and his breathing became more and more ragged.

"Hang in there, almost done," Steve told Soda.

"Okay, we're finished," the nurse said finally.

Steve took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He hated seeing Soda in so much pain. "Ready?" Darry asked, and Steve realized that he was talking to him. He wondered how shaken he looked. Steve nodded solemnly. Together they started to lower Soda back down on the bed. His face twisted up in even more pain and he let out an audible groan as he tightened his grip on Steve's arm. As they finally laid him back down, Darry ran a comforting hand through his hair. "Sorry about that," he said quietly as the nurses began cleaning up. "You heard the doctor, back to sleep, Pepsi-Cola." Soda didn't need much convincing. The last few minutes had obviously taken a lot out of him. He blinked sleepily a few times before closing his eyes. A few minutes later his features relaxed as he drifted back off to sleep.

Steve sighed in relief. He glanced over at the other two in the room. Two-Bit had pulled Pony back to stand along the wall on the far side of the room, his hand still resting on Pony's shoulder. Pony's eyes were clouded over, obviously trying very hard to hide how upset he was at seeing his brother in so much pain. Feeling completely drained, Steve collapsed into the nearest chair as both Pony and Two-Bit approached.

"He's gonna be okay," Pony said with a weak smile as he fell into the seat next to Darry, obviously trying to make himself feel better after what he had just witnessed.

Darry smiled back at the kid. "Yes he is," he agreed.

Steve could only hope that they weren't celebrating too soon again. They were all so desperate to believe that they wouldn't lose anyone else, Steve included, but he still couldn't help but wonder what that blood test would reveal. As the initial shock of Soda actually waking up and talking to them wore off, Steve felt weary about getting his hopes up too much just yet. After all, this wasn't the first time they were told that he was getting better.

Even though it was only eight o'clock at night, when the doctor returned with Soda's test results everyone was dozing off in their seats. They were all exhausted from the past few days. But as Dr. Evans entered the room everyone sat up and quickly rubbed sleep from their eyes, anxious to hear the latest news about Soda's condition.

"I have Sodapop's test results," the doctor announced, focusing on Darry as always. "I am still concerned about his kidneys. They haven't quite bounced back as well as I'd like to see. He will need dialysis again, but I am hopeful that we will see more improvement after that."

Darry nodded, his face serious. Steve felt his stomach drop, remembering how Soda had reacted to his last dialysis session. Hopefully it wouldn't be as bad this time because he would be more aware of what was going on. "When will you do that?" Darry asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Dr. Evans said. "I want him to get a lot of rest tonight before putting him through that again. We will probably do it around nine o'clock. And again, it will take three or four hours."

Darry sighed, but nodded. "Okay," he said.

"Also, I'd like to talk to you a little bit about some of the things that Sodapop will have to deal with during his recovery," Dr. Evans went on. "His body is going to feel very worn out for several weeks and he will continue to be very tired. Also some mild short-term memory loss isn't uncommon, but it won't be permanent. He will just appear more forgetful than usual for a while. His immune system will also be weakened. This may be a long term effect, but it will be especially important to consider during the first few weeks. He shouldn't be around anyone who is sick and everyone should be very conscious about washing their hands when they are around him. His immune system will have a hard time fighting off even minor infections." He paused as this information sunk into everyone's minds. "Now this is just an overview, we can go into it more in-depth when he's closer to being discharged."

"When do you think that will be?" Darry asked.

"I would say no sooner than another week," Dr. Evans said. "And that will be dependent on how he does over the next day or so as he begins his recovery, it could be longer."

Darry nodded. "Thanks," he said.

As the doctor left Steve could feel his temper flare once more. This was so unfair. Soda had to deal with all of this because of some random moron with a gun. He couldn't even just heal and get on with his life. He could have permanent side effects from all of this. Steve wished more than anything that he could just go back in time just four days and somehow prevent all this from happening.

Steve swore to himself that if he could ever get his hands on the coward who did this to his best friend he would kill him with his bare hands.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: Okay, so I couldn't help myself with the opening quote for this chapter. I was searching the internet for a good one and when this one popped up it was just too perfect, haha. Anyway, thank you so much to all my reviewers, I'm so excited by how much you guys are liking this story! It makes me want to work that much harder to make this story awesome. Please continue reviewing!

XxXxX

**Chapter Twelve**

"_Asleep, he looked a lot younger than going-on-seventeen, but I had noticed that Johnny looked younger when he was asleep too, so I figured everyone did. Maybe people are younger when they are asleep."  
― S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders)_

It had taken a lot of arguing and debating, but the four Greasers finally agreed on taking shifts with staying with Soda at the hospital until school started up again. They were all exhausted and would begin getting sick if they didn't start getting some sleep, which would be bad for Soda. Also, truth be told, they were all beginning to smell from their lack of showers over the course of the past couple days.

Pony and Two-Bit got the first shift staying with Soda, which meant Darry and Steve headed home for the night. Darry and Steve would return in the morning in time for Soda's dialysis and Pony and Two-Bit would take a turn with going home for a few hours for some sleep and showers. Darry would have to go to work right after Soda was done with dialysis and he would be able to get a good six hours in. Steve would leave later in the afternoon for work as Pony and Two-Bit returned to stay with Soda. Darry and Steve would return after work. None of them wanted to talk about Monday, when they would all be forced to leave Soda in order to go to work and school. They would deal with that later. They were just taking things one day at a time for now.

Steve hadn't bothered with going to his own house. Instead he just crashed on the couch in the Curtis' living room. Darry was up early the next morning and as he headed for the kitchen he paused in the doorway to the living room. As he watched Steve sleeping on the couch he reflected on the fact that this seventeen year old kid hadn't been home since he left for work Tuesday morning. It was now Sunday. He wondered vaguely if Steve's father had even noticed his disappearance. He knew that Two-Bit had checked in with his mother several times over the past few days, but Darry was sure that Steve hadn't had any contact with his father. He couldn't imagine not seeing Soda or Pony for that long and not going crazy running all over Tulsa trying to find them.

As Darry began fixing some breakfast the phone rang, immediately followed by Steve's loud cursing as he was suddenly jerked out of his relatively peaceful sleep. Darry practically ran for the phone in the living room, his stomach falling. They were supposed to be at the hospital in less than an hour and the only reason that he could think of that the phone would be ringing this early in the morning would be if something had gone wrong with Soda.

"Hello?" Darry said tensely, waiting to hear Pony or Two-Bit's voice.

"I'm looking for the parent or guardian of Sodapop Curtis."

Darry stiffened. It was a very professional male voice on the other end of the line. At first he worried it might be the state calling, who he really wasn't up for dealing with right now. But then he quickly realized that the state clearly knew that Sodapop Curtis had no parents, they would simply ask for his guardian. What could this possibly be about?

"I'm his guardian," Darry stated. "Darrel Curtis."

"Good, Mr. Curtis," the man on the other end said. "My name is Officer Daniels with the Tulsa P.D. We've been trying to get a hold of you for several days now."

Darry fought the urge to roll his eyes. "I've been at the hospital with my brother," he said stiffly. "He took a turn for the worst a few days ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the officer said. He didn't sound terribly interested, like he was only half listening while his mind was on other things. "The reason for my call is it seems that Sodapop was involved in the robbery Tuesday night of the DX that he works at and we have yet to get a statement from him regarding the incident."

Darry's temper flared, but he tried to keep his voice as even as possible. "Like I said, my brother Sodapop, who has been in the hospital since that _incident_, took a turn for the worst several days ago. He hasn't been in any condition to give any statements about anything."

"Ah, I see," Officer Daniels said. "Well in the event that he gets better, give us a call and we can set up a time to get his statement."

Darry scowled. He wanted nothing more than to keep his brother as far away from this insensitive man as possible. However he knew that the cops were their best chance of catching the guy who shot Soda and Darry couldn't stand the thought of that man still roaming the streets. He could only hope that this wasn't the same cop that Two-Bit had said had seemed alright to him. He made a mental note to try to find that business card.

"I will," Darry growled before he slammed the phone down, glaring at the receiver.

Steve was sitting up on the couch, watching him carefully. "Who was that?" he asked slowly.

"The fuzz," Darry spat. He sighed heavily as he fell into the recliner. When he spoke again his tone was much calmer as his anger melted away. He ran a hand through his hair. "They still want a statement from Soda about what happened that night."

Steve swore. "He ain't in any shape for that," he said.

"Yeah, I know," Darry sighed. "He's gonna have to eventually though. Unfortunately the cops got a better chance of catchin' that guy than we do."

"Lucky for him," Steve muttered angrily.

"You ain't a woofin'," Darry agreed seriously. Darry knew that if any of the Greasers somehow managed to get a hold of that robber before the police did he wouldn't be in prison, he'd be in the hospital. Possibly in the morgue in the basement of the hospital. "Well, we'll deal with that when he's feeling better. You want some breakfast? We gotta get goin' soon." Darry was anxious to make it to the hospital before they started Soda's dialysis.

Neither Darry nor Steve ate much and they left the leftovers out for Pony and Two-Bit to pick at as they left the house and headed back to the all too familiar hospital.

As they made it back up to Soda's hospital room Darry smiled lightly at the sight. Two-Bit was sitting in a chair with his feet up on the end of Soda's bed, fast asleep and snoring lightly. Pony had one elbow resting on the edge of Soda's bed with his chin resting in his hand, blinking sleepily. He was obviously fighting hard to stay awake as he watched his brother sleep. Soda looked peaceful as he slept, looking much better than he had the past few days. He was still hooked up to an IV but the heart monitor was finally gone making the room seem much more calm.

"Hey Pony," Darry said softly so as not to disturb the other two sleeping in the room. He slid into the seat next to his youngest brother and Pony smiled tiredly at him. "How'd it go last night?"

"He slept right through the night," Pony said, suppressing a yawn as he sat up. "He's still got a little bit of a fever but it's not nearly as bad as it was before. They also said that his blood pressure is better too. They took him off the heart monitor just a couple hours ago."

Darry smiled at just how grown up Ponyboy seemed in that moment. He nodded over at Two-Bit's sleeping form. "How long ago did that happen?" he asked with a soft laugh.

Pony smirked. "Maybe an hour ago," he said.

Darry reached over and gently shook Two-Bit's foot. "Hey, Two-Bit. Wake up."

Two-Bit jerked suddenly, his eyes blinking open. "Huh, what?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he quickly sat up, his feet falling to the floor. "I was jus' restin' my eyes."

Steve laughed as he dropped into the seat next to Two-Bit. "Catchin' flies with your mouth wide open too?" he said.

"Hey, don't knock my hobbies," Two-Bit shot back as he stretched.

"You two go home and get some sleep," Darry said. "And do me a favor, take the bus. I don't think you're awake enough to drive, Two-Bit." Darry started digging in his pocket, hoping to find change to give to Pony to pay for the bus ride.

"I got it," Two-Bit assured him with a dismissive wave of his hand as he stood up. "Let's go kid."

"Tell Soda I said hi and I'll see him this afternoon," Pony told Darry as he stood, obviously reluctant to leave but too exhausted to protest to stay.

"I will, don't worry," Darry said. "Make sure you get some sleep, kiddo."

Pony nodded and with one last look at Soda he followed Two-Bit from the room. Darry glanced at his watch. It was fifteen minutes until nine.

"Think we should wake him up and warn him?" Steve asked.

Darry nodded. He had just been thinking the same thing. He wasn't looking forward to explaining to his little brother that his kidneys were failing, but it would be worse if they waited until the dialysis machine was in the room. He wanted to give Soda time to process what was going on now that he was thinking more clearly.

"Soda?" Darry said softly, gently shaking Soda's shoulder. "C'mon little buddy, time to wake up."

Soda moaned lightly as he began shifting around. Then he winced and quickly blinked his eyes open. He looked around for a moment before focusing on Darry. "Darry?" he said quietly.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Darry asked.

Soda made a face. "I hurt," he said mumbled. "And I'm tired." He looked like he might drift back to sleep again, but Darry gently shook him again.

"I need you to stay awake just for a little bit," Darry said. He paused, wondering what the best way to approach this was. "Do you remember anything from the past few days?"

Soda considered this for a few moments. "I was sick," he said finally.

Darry nodded. "Yeah, you got real sick, little buddy," he said gently. He paused again and glanced up at Steve, hating what he had to tell his little brother. Steve's face was grim, obviously not thrilled about this either. Darry focused back on Soda, who was looking up at him curiously. "Soda… your kidneys starting failing while you were sick," he finally managed.

It seemed to take a minute for Soda to begin to understand what he had said. "What… what's that mean?" he finally asked.

"Well, they had to hook you up to a machine in order to clean your blood," Darry tried to explain. He wanted to keep it as simple as possible, Soda obviously wasn't up for understanding anything too complicated. "That's what your kidneys usually do. Your fever was pretty high, so you might not remember that. They're gonna have to do that again this morning, little buddy."

Soda just looked at him for a minute. "Is it gonna hurt?" he finally asked, sounding very young. He reminded Darry a lot of Ponyboy just then.

"They will have to put a needle into each of your arms," Darry said calmly. "That will pinch a little bit, but after that it won't hurt at all. You can even go back to sleep if you want."

Soda paused again. He still seemed to be processing information pretty slowly, but at least he was processing it at all. He finally nodded and Darry felt more at ease knowing that Soda would at least understand what was going on this time.

Soda turned his head and looked over at Steve. "Hey Steve," he said with a weak smile.

"Hey," Steve said with a smile. "Stayin' out of trouble, I hope?"

Soda gave a light laugh. "Tryin' to." His eyes wandered around the room for a moment. "Where're Pony and Two-Bit?"

"They went home to get some sleep," Darry said.

Soda looked over at him, concern in his eyes. "What about you guys?"

"We left last night," Steve told him. "We're doing shifts."

Soda seemed satisfied with this answer. A few minutes later two nurses entered the room, wheeling in the dialysis machine with them.

"Hello Sodapop," one of the nurses said with a smile. She glanced over at Darry before looking back at Soda. "Did your brother already tell you about what's going to happen this morning?"

Soda turned his head to look at Darry, confusion in his eyes. Darry remembered the doctor telling them that Soda might have some short term memory loss. He tried to pass it off as his brother still being groggy though. "Remember, they're going to clean your blood," Darry prompted.

"Oh, right," Soda said after a short pause. "'Cause of my kidneys."

"That's right," Darry said, smiling with relief.

Darry watched Soda carefully as the nurses set up the machine next to his bed. He was looking at the machine wearily. It must look awful intimidating to him. He still seemed very tired, which made him seem more and more like a little kid. Darry reached out and carefully took Soda's hand and Soda turned back to look at him.

"It won't hurt much, I promise," Darry told him. Soda still looked unsure, but he nodded. He turned to look at the nurse as she sterilized his left arm. She got the needle ready and Darry could see Soda tense up. He was nervous. It was a rather large needle, bigger than your average syringe. "Hey, look at me, Soda," he said. Soda turned his head back and met Darry's eyes. "It's gonna be okay. Just a little pinch and it'll be over."

Soda took a deep breath and his face pinched up and he squeezed Darry's hand as the needle pierced his skin. He sighed in relief a moment later as the pain seemed to subside as the nurse taped the tube in place.

"See that wasn't so bad," Steve said with a smile. "Just one more pinch and you're done."

The nurse moved to his other side and Darry shifted up towards the top of the bed to give her some room to work. He let go of Soda's hand and placed his hand on his shoulder instead. She repeated the process and Soda tensed up again as the needle went into his arm. Steve reached out and squeezed his other hand and a moment later it was over. After hitting a few buttons on the dialysis machine it whirled to life.

"That's it?" Soda asked as the nurses began cleaning up.

"That's it," Darry confirmed with a smile, glad that this was going a lot smoother than last time.

"There may be some minor side effects of the treatment," the nurse told Soda. "Some patients experience headaches, nausea and muscle cramps. If it gets too uncomfortable feel free to page us." She indicated the call button at the side of Soda' bed. Soda nodded his understanding and the nurse turned and left.

"You know, some of those nurses are pretty good lookers," Steve commented. He looked over at Soda. "After you get all your blood back in your body you should go for one." He grinned.

Soda smiled and laughed quietly. "You don't think they'll be put off by the bullet holes?"

"Are you kidding me?" Steve said, faking shock. "Chicks dig scars."

Darry smiled at the two of them, glad that Steve was there to make Soda laugh. They chatted for a few more minutes about a few particular nurses before Soda started dozing off again. The next couple hours were pretty uneventful. They watched Soda sleep and Steve shifted restlessly in his seat. Finally Steve went to gather the playing cards off the floor and convinced Darry to play gin rummy – they had all had about as much as they could take with poker. They sat on either side of Soda's hospital bed down by his feet as they played.

It was approaching the three hour mark before Soda started to stir. They both looked up at him as his blinked his eyes open, frowning a bit.

"Hey Soda," Darry said, putting his cards down and scooting his chair back up toward the top of the bed. He automatically placed a hand on Soda's forehead, testing his temperature. He didn't feel too warm, not like he had when his fever had spiked. "How're you feelin', little buddy?"

"I've got a headache," Soda mumbled.

"Do you want me to get a nurse?" Darry asked. Soda slowly shook his head. Darry glanced at his watch. "They should be comin' to unhook you soon. Let me know if your headache gets any worse, okay?"

Soda nodded. Then he looked at Darry curiously. "How long have you been here?"

"Just since this morning," Darry said. "Me and Steve left last night and came back this morning to relieve Two-Bit and Pony. We told you that, remember?"

Soda slowly shook his head, but not in confusion. "No, that's not what I meant," he said. He paused as if organizing his thoughts. "I mean before that… how much work have you missed Darry?"

Darry sighed. "Don't worry about that, little buddy," he said, rubbing Soda's shoulder comfortingly. "It doesn't matter."

"But it does matter," Soda insisted weakly.

"It's okay, Soda," Steve spoke up. "We've got you guys covered. Don't worry about it."

Darry glanced up at him in surprise, not real sure what he was talking about, but Steve avoided his gaze. He decided to let it go for now, he didn't want to have a discussion about their finances in front of Soda while he was laying broken in a hospital bed. In any case, Steve's statement seemed to ease Soda's worry and he seemed to relax a bit.

They chatted with Soda a little longer, and although he still seemed very tired Darry was encouraged by how coherent he seemed. It was a lot better than the last few days had been.

Finally a nurse entered the room and smiled. "How are you feeling, Sodapop?" she asked.

"Tired," Soda sighed.

She fiddled with the dialysis machine for a minute and then went about shutting the machine down, filtering all of Soda's blood back into his body. Finally she removed the needles and bandaged up Soda's arms. Soda gave a sigh of relief once he was free of the machine.

As the nurse cleaned up and took the machine out of the room, Darry sighed, feeling like an awful big brother for what he had to do next. Even though Soda was doing better he still hated having to leave his side for any amount of time. But he couldn't put this off any longer or else their family was going to be in deep trouble, even more so than the already were.

"I gotta get goin', little buddy," Darry said, putting an hand on Soda's shoulder. "I gotta get to work. But I'll be back tonight. And Pony and Two-Bit should be back soon."

Soda nodded. "Thanks Darry," he said.

"Make sure you rest up, Pepsi-Cola," Darry said, giving his younger brother's shoulder a light squeeze before standing up. He glanced over at Steve, grateful that he wasn't leaving Soda all alone. "I'll see you guys tonight." And with a great effort Darry trudged out of the room.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I'm so amazed that after twelve chapter I have 90 reviews! That's so awesome!

Now just a heads up… I will be without internet for about a week starting on Wednesday, so the next update may take a little longer than usual, but I am going to keep up on my writing while I'm away so I will update as soon as I get back.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

"_Your memory is a monster; you forget—it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you—and summons them to your recall with will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!"  
― John Irving_

"Two-Bit, let's go!" Pony moaned impatiently.

"Whoa, Pony," Two-Bit said like he was talking to a horse. "I'm just gettin' some supplies. That hospital room is gettin' mighty dull and if I play one more game of poker I may snap."

Two-Bit was digging through a closet filled with a lot of old junk that they never touched anymore. Pony rolled his eyes as he pulled out a very worn Operation board game. "Really, Two-Bit?" he demanded. "I bet that doesn't even have all the pieces." Pony had thought along the same lines as Two-Bit and had grabbed a book and his sketchbook and what he had left of his homework, suddenly thankful that Darry had bugged him to get most of his homework done at the beginning of Spring Break. He even grabbed a few car magazines for Steve. Two-Bit was almost nineteen years old and he was looking for kid games.

"We'll improvise," Two-Bit said with a shrug as he dug up the game Battleship. "Calm down, we've got plenty of time, kid."

Pony sighed and went out to the porch, letting the door slam behind him to show his annoyance. He had managed to get a few hours of sleep but he had quickly become restless. It was just too strange laying in that bed by himself. Now he just wanted to get back to his brother. He leaned against the railing on the front porch and lit up a cigarette.

Finally a few minutes later Two-Bit came out of the house, a small backpack slung over his shoulder. Without a word they started off toward the bus stop. On any other day they probably would have walked or tried to hitch a ride, but Pony was feeling too anxious for either of those options and thankfully Two-Bit just went along with him as he headed for the bus stop. Also thankfully, Two-Bit paid for his bus ride as well. Money had been very tight at the Curtis house ever since their parents had died, but Pony knew it was about to get even worse as far as their finances were concerned. Even just the pocket change that it took to ride the bus suddenly seemed like a lot.

The path through the hospital to Soda's room was now so familiar they didn't even have to think about it anymore. As they entered the room Soda was fast asleep as usual. Steve was sitting in a chair on the far side of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest and a faraway look in his eyes as he stared vacantly out the window.

"Hey Steve," Pony said, shaking Steve out of his stupor as he turned to look at them.

"Hey kid," Steve greeted. "Two-Bit."

"How'd it go this morning?" Two-Bit asked as they took their usual seats. It was obvious what he was referring to as Pony looked at the fresh bandages on his brother's arms.

"Pretty good," Steve said with a nod. "We were able to explain to him what was going on, so it wasn't nearly as bad as last time. He fell back asleep pretty soon after they were done."

Pony still didn't like that all Soda seemed to do anymore was sleep; it was so unnatural for his brother. Usually Soda had all the energy in the world and could never sit still. But he knew that Soda still needed a lot of rest so he didn't dare even consider disturbing him.

They all settled in. Pony cracked his book while Steve and Two-Bit leafed through some of the car magazines, discussing some of the new cars that they found. Finally an hour later it was time for Steve to leave for work. As he was getting ready to go a small voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Where're you going?"

They all turned to look at Soda and found that his eyes were open, looking at Steve carefully. Steve smiled at him and walked back over to the bed.

"I gotta get to work, buddy," he told him. "I'll be back later though."

Soda looked troubled and for a minute Pony had a hard time understanding why. "Me and Two-Bit are staying," Pony spoke up.

Soda glanced over at him before focusing back on Steve. "Just… be careful," he said.

Then it clicked. Soda was nervous about Steve going to work with the guy who had tried to rob them still on the loose. Steve seemed to realize this too. He placed a comforting hand on Soda's shoulders.

"Don't worry," he assured Soda. "I'll be back tonight. You just take it easy, man." And then he turned and left. Soda quietly watched him go.

"He'll be real careful," Pony assured Soda.

Soda turned his head to look at Pony, giving him a weak smile. "Did you manage to get some sleep?" he asked. "You still look awful tired."

Pony smiled back. "Soda, I know I'm your _little_ brother, but you're laying in a hospital bed," he pointed out. "Will you stop worryin' about me and lemme worry about you for a change?"

Soda laughed lightly. "Not a chance, little brother."

Pony rolled his eyes and pretended to be offended, but the smile never left his face. He was glad that Soda was able to act so normally after everything that had happened this week. Maybe everything really would turn out alright.

"What do you guys do for fun around here?" Soda asked. He spotted the playing cards that were scattered around the foot of his bed. "You wanna play poker?"

"Please, sweet baby Jesus, no more poker," Two-Bit moaned. Soda gave him a funny look and Pony laughed.

"We've played _a lot_ of poker over the past few days," Pony explained. "How 'bout gin rummy?"

Soda laughed lightly. "Yeah, that works too."

Two-Bit went out into the hallway and managed to find an extra pillow. Working together he and Pony helped Soda sit up a little bit so they could put the extra pillow behind him so that he was tilted up a little more. He winced slightly but rested comfortably as he leaned back against the pillows. Pony gathered up the playing cards and began shuffling. It was good to see Soda actually participating in an activity other than sleeping. Pony had been scared when the doctor talked about the side effects of sepsis, especially when he mentioned the short term memory loss. He had been afraid that when Soda woke up he would have seemed different. However, other than seeming overly tired, Soda seemed the same as he always had. It was a huge relief.

As Pony dealt out the cards though, Soda shot him a confused look. "What game are we playing again?" he asked slowly.

Pony paused, feeling his heart sink a bit. "Gin rummy," he reminded him gently.

"Oh right," Soda said, focusing back down on his cards.

Soda managed to make it through several rounds of gin rummy before he dozed off again. Pony and Two-Bit did their best to occupy themselves throughout the afternoon. Pony managed to finish up his homework before playing Battleship with Two-Bit for a while. His appetite was coming back and Two-Bit ran to the little store across the street to get some dinner for them. When Darry finally returned after work Pony had his nose in a book and Two-Bit was sitting on the floor messing with the Operation game. Darry raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Two-Bit, but made no comment.

"Hey, how was work?" Pony asked, looking up from his book.

"Long," Darry sighed. He looked exhausted as he fell into a chair on the other side of Soda's bed. "How was he today?" He nodded at their brother.

Pony gave a genuine smile. "Really good," he said, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. "He was awake for a little while this afternoon and even played a few rounds of gin rummy with us."

Darry returned the smile, looking relieved. "That's good news," he said. He reached over and placed a gentle hand on Soda's forehead. "He doesn't feel very warm anymore." Soda began to shift around at the touch and slowly blinked open his eyes, looking around blearily. "Hey, little buddy. How're you feeling?"

"'Bout the same," Soda mumbled. He glanced around the room again. "Steve back yet?"

"Not yet," Darry said. "He's workin' till nine tonight, it's only seven now."

Pony saw that troubled look flash across Soda face again. He reached out and carefully took his hand. "He'll be okay, Soda," he tried to assure his brother. "I'm sure that guy is not stupid enough to go back to the DX."

Soda gave Pony's hand a weak squeeze. Before anyone could say anything else Dr. Evans entered the room.

"Hello, Sodapop," he said with a smile. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"Lousy," Soda said.

The doctor took Steve's vacant seat at Soda's bedside. "While you're up, I'd like to do a few quick exercises to test your mental ability, mainly your memory."

Soda gave him a curious look. "My memory?" he asked slowly. He sent a worried look at his brothers before looking back at the doctor. Darry reached over and placed a comforting hand on Soda's shoulder.

"I'm afraid that one of the side effects from sepsis is short term memory loss," the doctor explained calmly. "But it shouldn't be permanent. I'm just going to test to see if this side effect is even going to present itself." Soda looked nervous but he nodded. "Okay, just a few questions, Sodapop." He took a black pen out of his pocket and held it out. "I want you to remember this pen." After a moment he put the pen back in his pocket out of sight. "Now can you tell me a little about your day today. What happened this morning?"

Soda looked a little confused at the change of subject. "Darry was here this morning," he said slowly. "Steve was too. I got needles in my arms to clean my blood. Then I fell back asleep."

"Good," the doctor said nodding. "What else?"

"Well I woke up later with a headache," Soda went on. "They took the needles out and then Darry had to leave for work. I fell asleep after that." He smiled lightly. "I guess I've been sleeping a lot."

Dr. Evans smiled back. "That is perfectly normal." Pony felt very hopeful listening to her brother talk. It seemed he remembered everything that had happened that day. That had to be a good sign.

"Pony and Two-Bit were here when I woke up again," Soda went on. "We played cards, but I didn't do too well. Pony kept on winning."

"Good," the doctor said. "Now Sodapop, I showed you an object a minute ago and asked you to remember it. Can you tell me what it was?"

Soda looked at him and suddenly his features looked vacant. He frowned. "Um…" he murmured. Clearly he was trying very hard to think but was coming up with nothing. "Um… I… I d-don't remember." His voice cracked slightly. He looked up at Darry and Pony, his eyes anxious.

"It's okay, little buddy," Darry assured him, but Pony could see worry in his oldest brother's eyes. He looked over at the doctor for confirmation.

"Yes, that is to be expected, Sodapop," Dr. Evans said. "Just remember that this shouldn't be permanent." Pony couldn't help but notice the doctor's use of the word _shouldn't_. That meant that there was a chance that maybe this would be permanent. He sent Darry a worried glance and he could tell that his oldest brother was thinking the same thing.

"How is it that this infection effected him like this?" Darry asked.

"Sepsis can be devastating to a person's body," Dr. Evans explained patiently. "It happens when a person gets an infection and the immune system basically goes into overdrive, attacking the body even after the original infection is gone. It's also common that the immune system will start attacking parts of the body that aren't even infected."

"So… it was Soda's own immune system that made him so sick?" Pony asked in surprise.

"Yes it was," the doctor confirmed. "His immune system has been compromised from the whole ordeal, which is why it will be so important to keep him as healthy as possible in the future. Patients who get sepsis and survive do not always do well going forward. Another infection, even a minor one, could prove fatal."

There was dead silence in the room as this information really sunk in. Even after Soda was better and out of the hospital they would still have to worry about him. It seemed like this nightmare would never end.

Finally Darry took a deep breath, breaking the silence. "Okay," he said as steadily as he could.

The doctor nodded as he stood up. "A nurse will be in soon to draw some more blood to test," he said to Soda. "I'll be back once I have the results." He turned and started to leave.

"Hey doc," Soda called weakly. Dr. Evans stopped and turned to him. "A pen. The object was a pen."

* * *

Author's Note: Don't forget to review!


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: I'm back! Hope you guys weren't too impatient waiting for this chapter. One small thing I want to point out to avoid confusion. Some of you know there were some technical difficulties getting the last chapter to show up on the site. Well with all my deleting and reposting it looks like the chapter numbers got a little out of whack. I fixed it now, but for a while chapter thirteen was showing up as chapter fourteen. So everything should be all straightened out now! Knock on wood, no more site glitches!

Also I didn't get a change to respond to the last couple reviews to the last chapter, so let me say a general thank you to all reviewers! I officially have over 100 reviews to this story, which blows my mind! Please keep it up all these reviews really motivate me! :)

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Dear Agony  
Just let go of me  
Suffer slowly  
Is this the way it's gotta be?  
Dear Agony_

_- Breaking Benjamin (Dear Agony)_

They were all a bit shaken by Soda's demonstration of his memory loss not to mention the doctor's revelation about his immune system. Even though Soda was finally getting better it seemed that this was far from over.

A nurse came and drew blood again. She had to use the vein in his wrist again and he winced and squeezed Darry's hand. They anxiously waited for the results, hoping for more improvement. Soda stayed awake a little longer, chatting a bit before dozing off. It was clear he was shaken by the news as well though. Steve showed up after work, looking worn. It had been a long week for all of them.

Finally Dr. Evans returned. Darry reached over and carefully shook Soda, wanting him to be awake to hear the news.

"Hey Soda," Darry said gently as Soda slowly blinked his eyes open, glancing around the room. "The doctor's back little buddy."

Soda's eyes wandered in the direction of the doctor and did his best to focus.

Dr. Evans smiled. "Good news, Sodapop," he started. "Your blood work is very much improved. Your kidneys appear to be working much better. We will still need to keep a close eye on it, but as of right now I don't think you'll need another round of dialysis."

Soda gave a weak smile. Darry glanced around to see that everyone looked terribly relieved. Darry reached over and gave Soda an encouraging pat on the shoulder. It was exactly the news they had been hoping for. Things finally seemed to be turning around and moving in the right direction.

"Does that mean I can go home soon?" Soda asked hopefully.

"I'd still like to see you stay at least through the week," the doctor said patiently. "We'll see how much you improve over the next few days and will be able to go from there."

Soda nodded, but looked a little disappointed. Darry knew how he felt, he was anxious to get Soda back home. He hated seeing his brother stuck in this hospital bed day and night.

"Thank you," Darry said, smiling up at the doctor.

"Not a problem," the doctor responded. "Make sure you still get plenty of rest, Sodapop." And with that he turned and left.

"You'll be out of here soon, little buddy," Darry assured him.

"Not soon enough," Soda sighed. He glanced around the room and spotted Steve for the first time. He smiled tiredly. "Hey Steve. How was work?"

"Very uneventful compared to the last time you were there," Steve said lightly with a smile.

Soda laughed softly. "Glad to hear it," he said. "I'm not there to save your ass again."

Steve laughed but suddenly his smile seemed strained and his eyes flashed with an emotion that Darry just couldn't seem to place. Soda didn't appear to notice though as he was already dozing off again. Darry sighed. He knew they couldn't put it off any longer. He didn't want to have to wake Soda back up in order to tell him that they had to leave him. The doctor kept emphasizing that he needed rest.

"Hey little buddy," Darry said gently. "We gotta get goin'."

Soda looked up at him, sleepy and confused.

"But Darry…" Pony said reluctantly.

"You got school tomorrow, Pony," Darry reminded him. "And I got work."

"We'll come visit during lunch break tomorrow," Two-Bit spoke up. "Then we'll be back after school."

"I'll be okay, Pony," Soda assured his little brother. "I'm just gonna sleep anyway. I don't want you fallin' behind in school 'cause of me."

Darry smiled, glad that Soda was being so easy about this. He hated leaving him all alone, but he knew that it was unavoidable at this point. He reached out and placed a hand on Soda's shoulder, wishing he could fully embrace his brother, but he was afraid of hurting him.

"You take it easy, Pepsi-Cola," he said. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

Soda nodded, he looked a little nervous but he was putting on a brave face for them. Darry stood up and moved aside to give the others room.

"Don't cause too much trouble now, you hear?" Two-Bit said lightly, reaching out and patting Soda's leg as he stood.

"We'll see you at lunchtime tomorrow," Steve reiterated, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Pony was the last to leave Soda's bedside. He stood up and placed one hand on each of Soda's shoulders and leaned over him in a hug-like gesture. Soda reached up, placing a hand on either side of Pony in an attempt to hug him back. It was a rather weak attempt and he couldn't reach around to Pony's back, but it was still a touching sight.

"I'll be back as soon as possible," Pony promised.

"Thanks, Pone," Soda said with a tired smile.

"C'mon, Pony," Darry prompted.

Pony sighed but finally followed them out into the hallway. They had made it to the elevator before he spoke up again.

"I don't think we should leave him alone," he said. "I could stay here tonight and still make it to school tomorrow."

"Pony, he's just gonna sleep all night and you'd have to leave him by the time he woke up anyway," Darry said rationally. He put an arm around Pony's shoulders. "He'll be alright."

Pony sighed in defeat. "I guess," he admitted.

"Don't sweat it kid," Two-Bit said as the elevator arrived. "We'll be back soon enough."

Darry didn't feel any better than Pony did as they stepped into the elevator, the doors closing them into the small space, separating them from their brother. But the bills were going to start piling up. He couldn't miss any more work. It didn't feel right… but he knew it was something he had to do. At least Soda was in the hospital with plenty of staff to look after him. As he assured Pony, he was also assuring himself. He couldn't wait for tomorrow's work day to pass to that he could return to his brother's side.

XxXxX

After they left the hospital, Steve and Two-Bit returned to their own homes for the first time in almost a week. It was odd when it was just Darry and Pony in the house, it made the space feel particularly empty. Neither one felt like hanging around, mostly because of the exhaustion from the past week. As soon as they got home they changed and headed right to bed.

Darry tossed and turned restlessly for hours, thinking of his little brother alone in the hospital. He knew that Soda was probably sleeping – for that matter he was probably sleeping much better than the rest of them – but it still made him feel uneasy to not have anyone there with him. Finally exhaustion overcame worry and Darry managed to drift off to sleep himself.

It had been a long time since Darry had been woken up suddenly in the middle of the night, but when a scream came from across the hall at two in the morning he was up in an instant as if no time at all had passed since this had been routine, his protective instincts taking over. He rushed across the hall and threw open the door to the room his younger brothers shared. Of course tonight there was only one brother occupying the room. Ponyboy was still asleep, thrashing under his covers and screaming out as if someone where viciously attacking him.

"Pony!" Darry said urgently, grabbing Pony by the shoulders and shaking him firmly. "Ponyboy, wake up!"

Pony's eyes flew open and he gasped as if he were surfacing from being underwater for several minutes. He was drenched in a cold sweat as he looked around frantically, trying to get his bearings. Darry slowly lowered himself down to sit on the edge of the bed, keeping one hand on his shoulder.

"D-Darry?" Pony said, his voice shaking as he seemed to focus on him. Slowly he sat up.

"Yeah, I'm here, kiddo," Darry said gently. Pony was beginning to tremble and suddenly Darry wished like hell that Soda was here with them. He was always better at comforting Pony than he was. It had been a long time since Pony had made enough noise to wake Darry with his nightmares. It had happened quite frequently right after their parents had passed away, but after a visit to the doctor and after Soda began sleeping in his room with him the nightmares had become far between and much less severe. "Was it one of those nightmares you can't remember?"

Pony looked up at him with big eyes for a moment. "I… I remember water…" he said quietly. Darry gave a start at this information. This was a new development. Pony had never remembered any of his night terrors before. "And… and S-Soda. I couldn't get to him, I couldn't help him even though I tried, I tried really hard, I really did." Pony was quickly working himself into hysterics as he recalled parts of his nightmare.

Darry reached out and carefully wrapped his arms around Pony, pulling him in close. "Sh," he soothed gently. "It's okay, Pony. It's okay."

"I don't want to lose Soda too," Pony sobbed suddenly, burying his face into Darry's t-shirt.

"Hey, we're not gonna lose Soda," Darry assured him, surprised by the statement, as he rubbed his back comfortingly. "Soda's gonna be just fine, he's getting better, remember?"

Pony pulled away from Darry slightly in order to look up at him, tears in his eyes. "We could have," he said in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "We could have lost him."

Darry knew this all too well. One bullet was all it would have taken for their lives to be violently torn apart… yet again. If Soda had simply been hit in a different place – his heart, his head, any number of vital organs – he wouldn't have had a chance, he could have been dead in an instant before Steve even had a chance to consider calling for help. It could have all been over that quick. Just the thought caused a sick feeling to rise in Darry's stomach. Life was so fragile. They all knew this better than most. And that wasn't fair.

"But we didn't," Darry finally said firmly. "You gotta focus on that, Pony. Soda's gonna be fine. This time next week he'll be laying in this bed with you just like always. Everything's gonna be okay this time."

"Unless something else goes wrong," Pony said sullenly.

Darry was taken aback for a moment, he had never known Pony to be so pessimistic. Apparently all the tragedy in their lives was taking more of a toll on his youngest brother's innocence than he had realized. "You can't think like that Pony," he said slowly.

"Why not?" Pony said. "It's not like our track record is the best for catchin' a break, you know."

Darry sighed. "I know," he admitted. "But Soda's condition could have been so much worse. Maybe it's finally time that we do catch a break. He's still with us, isn't he?" He paused. "Look Pony, I know you have been through a lot over the past year. We all have. And I know you're scared. And that's okay, because it shows how much you love your brother. But I know Soda is gonna be fine. He's strong and he's gonna fight through this, just like he has been doin'."

"I just hate that we had to leave him there," Pony said quietly.

"I know kiddo," Darry said, giving him a squeeze. "I hate it too. But the hospital staff will take real good care of him until we get back. I noticed he was getting some looks from some of the younger nurses. I'm sure they'll pay special attention to him." He smiled down at Pony and Pony managed to crack a smile back.

"Darry…" Pony said slowly after a pause, serious once more. "How are we gonna pay for all this?"

Darry didn't need Pony to elaborate. He ran a hand through his hair as he sighed heavily. He wasn't looking forward to getting the mail tomorrow. He hadn't had any time to put any real thought into their finances all week. "We'll figure something out," he said vaguely.

Pony nodded absently. "Sorry for waking you," he said.

"It's okay Pony," Darry said. Now that the adrenalin had worn off his eye lids were getting heavy again. He knew it was going to be a struggle to get up for work in a few hours. He currently felt like he could sleep for a week straight. "You feelin' better now?" Pony nodded, but he still looked a little shaken. "Try and get some sleep, alright kiddo?" He gave him a pat on the back and then stood up and turned to leave.

"Darry?" Pony said softly.

Darry turned and looked down at his younger brother. "Yeah Pony?"

"Could you… do you think you could stay?" he asked, looking up at Darry a bit unsurely.

Darry was startled a bit by the request. Him and Pony had never had the kind of relationship that Pony and Soda had, even before their parents had passed. They had been getting along better during these past few months, but there still seemed to be some kind of gap between them. But Darry found that he was glad that Pony wanted his company.

Darry smiled lightly at Pony as he walked back over to the bed. "Scoot over," he said simply. Pony immediately moved over to the far side of the bed. Darry pulled back the covers and climbed in. There wasn't a whole lot of room in the bed, Soda was a lot more lean than he was, but Pony didn't seem to mind. He lay back down and leaned his head into Darry's shoulder. Darry reached over with his other hand and brushed the hair off this youngest brother's forehead as he started falling back asleep. At least he still had one brother he could comfort tonight.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

_If I could hold back the rain, would you numb the pain?  
'Cause I remember everything.  
If I could help you forget, would you take my regrets?  
'Cause I remember everything._

_- Five Finger Death Punch (Remember Everything)_

As Soda blinked his eyes open, he was met with an unfamiliar sight. This wasn't his room. This wasn't his bed. He shifted to try to look around and he felt a sharp pain fly though his chest, causing his to exhale loudly. He moved his hand and placed it lightly on his chest, gingerly feeling the bandage under his fingertips as the events of the past week came rushing back to him.

Soda looked around the empty room. It was the first time the room had been so empty. Every other time he had woken up there had been at least two of the gang there with him. It had been comforting to wake up to something familiar. But he knew that they couldn't stay here with him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Darry had to work since their bills were about to get worse with him being in the hospital and not being able to work for a while. Pony had to go to school, he couldn't fall behind now especially after everything that had happened just a few months ago. That's why Soda felt so anxious to go home. He wanted something familiar.

It was only a few minutes before he started feeling bored. It would be better if he could at least get out of this damn bed. He felt so trapped. He looked down at his hand, following the tube coming out of it up to the IV hanging above his bed. His eyes wandered around to the rest of the room. There wasn't really anything interesting to look at. It was going to be a very long few days till he finally got to go home.

As he was starting to doze off again he was aware of someone walking into the room. He forced his eyes back open, remembering how Steve, Two-Bit and Pony had promised to visit during their lunch break. He was a little disappointed to find that it was just another nurse entering the room.

"Hey, you're up," the nurse said with a kind smile.

Soda attempted to smile back, but he wasn't sure how successful he was. He was just so tired, he couldn't even find the energy to lift his head off the pillow. It was such a strange feeling not having any energy. He was always so full of energy. Even a few years ago when he got the flu real bad he still got up out of bed several times a day just to be doing something, much to the dismay of his mother.

"Yeah, thought I'd change it up," Soda said lightly.

"You just missed your friends," the nurse said as she began checking his IV.

"What?" Soda said, taken aback. "What time is it?"

"It's a little after one in the afternoon, honey," she said sympathetically.

"Oh," Soda said, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice. He couldn't believe he had slept through their entire visit. He wished they would have woken him. He had been sleeping enough as it was, if they had woken him up for an hour he was sure it would have been fine.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked.

Soda sighed. He was getting very tired of that question. "Same as always," he said. "Bored."

The nurse laughed lightly. "Yes, it can be a bit boring around here," she agreed. "I could see if I can find you a book if you'd like."

Soda was never much for reading, but he was just desperate enough to give anything a whirl. "Sure, why not," he said, finding that he didn't even have the energy to shrug.

"I'll see what I can find," she said as she turned and headed back out of the room.

Soda went to lift his arm in order to rub his tired eyes, but he winced as he felt a sharp pain in his bicep. He looked down and saw the bandage on his left arm. It took him a moment to remember being told that he had stitches in his arm because of a graze. He didn't even remember getting that particular wound. He had been too distracted by the searing pain in his chest. The wet, warm feeling of blood flowing out of his body and soaking through his clothes. The terrifying panic of thinking that he was going to die.

Suddenly he was gasping for breath as his chest tightened up painfully. The feeling of not being able to get enough air was too familiar to the night he was shot, which only caused him to start panicking more. Tears were running down his cheeks and he was shaking. He was consumed by his memories of the night last week when his life almost ended and he didn't know how to calm down. The worse it got the more he panicked and the more he panicked the worse it got. He was suffocating.

Soda was aware of someone in the room with him but couldn't focus on who it was. He was only vaguely aware of a sharp poke in his arm. Everything blurred and his breathing slowed. His eye lids felt heavy and he fought against them, but quickly lost the battle. The room faded away and Soda drifted off into a drug induced sleep.

XxXxX

Soft voices was the first thing that Soda was aware of. He shifted slightly and the voices immediately stopped. He shifted his head, his eyes feeling heavy. He felt a small hand in his own and he weakly squeezed it.

"Soda? Soda can you hear me?"

Soda easily recognized Pony's soft voice. With an effort he pried his eyes open, slowly blinking away the blurred scene before him. He looked up at his younger brother and did his best to smile at him in an effort to put him at ease, noticing how worried he looked.

"Hey Pony," he said quietly.

"You okay, Soda?" Pony asked with a frown.

"I think so," Soda said. He had a hazy memory of what had happened last time he had been awake. "Do you know what happened to me?"

"The nurse said you had a severe panic attack this afternoon," Pony explained.

"Oh," Soda said vaguely. He supposed that made sense. He did his best not to think about what happened. He looked around and saw Steve and Two-Bit standing back a bit, looking unsure. He decided to try to change the subject. "Hey guys."

"Hey Soda," Two-Bit said with a strained grin. "We came to see you earlier."

"Yeah, so I heard," Soda said. "Why didn't you guys wake me?"

"You just looked so damn peaceful," Two-Bit said with a laugh.

"The doc said you needed to get lots of rest," Steve pointed out.

"That's all I do is rest," Soda said tiredly. "An hour wouldn't have hurt anything." Then he looked up curiously at Steve. "Steve? What happened to your face?" He had just noticed a dark bruise that sat along Steve's cheekbone. He was pretty sure that hadn't been there before.

Steve just shrugged. "Got into it with some Socs," he said shortly.

Soda was only vaguely aware of the exasperated looks that this explanation earned from both Pony and Two-Bit. He felt too exhausted to really try to put too much thought into it though and found it easiest to just accept Steve's explanation.

"What time is it?" Soda wondered out loud.

Two-Bit glanced down at his watch. "A little after five," he said.

Soda sighed. Yet another day he had practically slept through. His sense of time was so warped at this point. What felt like only a day or two to him had actually been close to a week. He decided that he would try to stay awake until his friends were forced to leave. He was tired of missing out on everything because he was sleeping all the time. He would much rather be awake now that everybody was here and sleep later when he was by himself.

"How was school?" he asked Pony.

Pony sat at his bedside and started talking about his classes. Soda tried to listen as carefully as he could, though a lot of what Pony was talking about went over his head. Also he began noticing how little information he seemed to be retaining. As his brother talked about his math class Soda tried to remember which class he had talked about before that and couldn't think of it.

Soda was so focused on his brother's story that he wasn't immediately aware of the commotion in the hallway outside of his room. He noticed Steve and Two-Bit moving closer to the door, looking out into the hallway, but he didn't think much of it at first. He just figured they were antsy just like he was. But as Pony paused in his story, distracted by what was happening as well, he caught Darry's voice floating in from outside somewhere.

"He's in no shape for this, we've had no time to prepare him…"

Soda cocked his head curiously. Darry sounded angry, but he couldn't imagine why.

"Steve…" Two-Bit said warningly. Soda looked over at his friends to see that Steve suddenly looked outraged as he looked out into the hallway and Two-Bit was holding him back. "You stay here, I'll go," Two-Bit said as he disappeared out into the hallway.

"What's goin' on?" Soda asked.

Steve looked over at him from the doorway. "Nothin'," he said a little too quickly.

"I can hear Darry out there," Soda pointed out.

Steve sighed as he walked back into the room, approaching Soda's bed. "The cops are here," he said. "Sounds like they are still looking for a statement from you about what happened."

Soda felt frozen in place. He had forgotten all about the cops wanting a statement from him. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about what happened, especially to some stranger.

"He shouldn't have to do that right now!" Pony said in surprise.

"Darry's dealin' with it," Steve said flatly looking over at Pony. "I can't believe they had the nerve to just show up here. Darry told them just yesterday he wasn't in any condition to answer any questions." He swore angrily.

"You don't have to talk like I'm not right here," Soda mumbled a little moodily.

"Sorry," Steve said, looking down at him sympathetically.

It was suddenly much quieter in the hallway and Soda strained to hear any piece of the conversation about him. Unfortunately he couldn't catch any of the words being said, he could only hear low murmurs. A moment later Darry appeared in the doorway looking particularly worn.

"Hey Pony," Darry said. "C'mere." Pony sent an unsure glance down at Soda before he stood and walked over to Darry, who was pulling out his wallet. "Here, head on down to the cafeteria with Two-Bit and get us something for dinner." He handed Pony some money.

Pony hesitated. "They're not gonna come question him right now, are they?" he asked in a low voice, though Soda could still clearly hear him.

"Pony, just head on down to the cafeteria," Darry said. Soda's heart sunk in his chest. They all knew what that meant.

"But Darry," Pony protested. "The nurse said he had a panic attack this afternoon."

"I know," Darry said tiredly. "Now go on."

Pony sent one last look back at Soda before he reluctantly turned and walked from the room. Darry slowly approached the bed and sat in the seat that Pony had just vacated. Soda watched him carefully.

"Darry, you can't be serious," Steve said. He was standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest.

Darry ignored him, focusing on Soda instead. "Soda, the cops gotta talk to you," he said, confirming what everyone had already figured out.

"Why now?" Soda asked, his voice very small.

Darry sighed. "Apparently one of the on call doctors looked at your chart and told them that you are stable enough for questioning," he explained. "They're not gonna take no for an answer and we gotta show them that we got nothin' to hide."

"Nothin' to hide?" Soda said, slowly putting the pieces together. "They can't think _I _had anything to do with the robbery."

"They just want to hear your side of the story," Darry said noncommittally.

"Fuckin' ridiculous," Steve spat. "They already have my side of the story, it's not gonna be much different."

Darry shot him a 'you're not helping' look and he clammed up. Soda was suddenly glad that Darry hadn't sent Steve away as well. He could at least back him up with his story. He couldn't understand how the story could be any more obvious though, considering he was laying in a hospital bed with a bullet hole in his chest. But he was a Greaser and he supposed that automatically put him in a suspicious light in the cop's eyes.

"Do you remember anything from that night?" Darry asked carefully. Soda simply nodded. He could remember every detail from that night; it was seared in his memory. That wasn't something he was glad about though. "Just answer everything the best you can and it'll be over," Darry assured him. "If it gets to be too much I'll be right here. I won't let them push you too much, I promise."

"Thanks Darry," Soda said quietly. His eyes wandered over to where Steve stood, looking angry at the whole situation. "You're gonna stay too, right Steve?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna stay," Steve confirmed. "They couldn't pay me to get out of here."

Soda nodded, feeling marginally better. Darry took this as consent as he stood up and headed back out into the hallway. Soda took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"You say the word, and I'll deck 'em," Steve said in an undertone, flashing him a menacing grin.

Soda chuckled quietly, knowing full well that Steve would actually do it if he asked him to. A moment later Darry reentered the room, a uniformed police officer in tow. He was glad that it was only one officer. Darry immediately took his seat next to Soda, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Soda was immensely relieved that the cops hadn't come earlier and ambushed him while he was alone. He wouldn't have been able to handle that.

"Sodapop Curtis?" the office asked. Soda just nodded. "I'm Officer Sullivan. I just need to ask you a few questions about the incident that occurred at the DX station last Tuesday night."

"Yeah, okay," Soda said. He just wanted to get this over with.

The officer took out a notebook and pen. "Can you tell me what time the robber entered the DX."

"It was just before closing," Soda said, grateful for an easy question. "Maybe five minutes before nine."

The cop nodded as he scribbled in his notebook. "Can you describe what the man was like when he entered the store?"

"Um…" Soda said, thinking back to that night. "I didn't pay too much attention to him. He just walked in and went to the magazine rack and poked around for a minute or two."

"And then what happened?"

Soda took a deep breath. "I… I asked him if I could help him. You know, 'cause we were closing and I was anxious to leave. He walked over and… a-and…" his voice faltered at the memory. He could see the scene unfolding before him once more. He felt Darry squeeze his shoulder lightly. "He pulled out a gun and pointed it at me. Told me to give him money."

The officer paused as he wrote. "Did you give him the money?"

"Well what the hell was he supposed to do, there was a gun pointed at his face!" Steve snarled.

The officer sent Steve a glare, but Soda was grateful that Steve pointed that out.

"Yeah, I was givin' him the money," Soda confirmed quietly.

"Alright, can you describe the robber for me?" Officer Sullivan asked.

Soda knew this was going to be the most difficult part. He never wanted to think about that man ever again. That man could have taken his life that night, hell he could have taken Steve's life as well. He remembered the glass door shattering as Steve had dove out of the way. If he hadn't moved at that exactly moment he could have been hit. That made Soda angry, but it also scared him to death.

Soda could picture the scene quite clearly in his mind, and as he did his heart began racing just as it had that night. "He was…. He was probably a few years older than me," Soda started slowly, his voice less than steady. "He… he had on a brown coat and blue jeans."

"What about his facial features?" the officer prompted.

Soda didn't want to think about that, but he forced himself to, feeling his muscles tense. "Brown hair cut real short," he said quietly, almost to himself. "He had stubble on his chin like he hadn't shaved in a few days. His skin was tanned, like he worked outside a lot. He had dark eyes, like a dark brown color."

"Anything else that you can remember?" the officer asked. "Any scars or distinguishing marks?"

Soda thought hard. "No, not that I can think of," he said softly, just barely holding himself together.

"Alright," the officer said stiffly. "What happened after that?"

Soda took in a shaky breath. "He tried to get me to hurry… but then Steve walked in. He was spooked and… and he started firing."

"Do you remember what kind of gun he had?" the cop asked.

Soda felt his chest tighten as he remembered staring down the barrel of that gun. He could remember it painfully clearly. "A small handgun," he said, his voice shaking. "Black. It was a pistol."

The cop nodded, making a note. "How many shots were fired?"

Soda breath caught in his chest. He could hear the shots echoing in his head. By the look on Darry's face he could tell that his distress was very apparent.

"Four, there were four shots," Steve spat. "I told you guys that already."

The cop glared at Steve again and then looked back at Soda. Suddenly Soda just wanted to disappear. He didn't wasn't to answer any more questions.

"Were there four shots?" the officer asked. Soda just silently nodded unable to string any words together. "Okay. What happened after the shots were fired?"

Soda just stared. What kind of stupid question was that? After the shots were fired he had a bullet hole in his chest for God's sake! He was bleeding, he was gasping for breath, he was dying…

"I… I-I don't…" Soda stuttered, unable to complete his thought. Suddenly Darry's hand was in his.

"I think you've got everything you need," Darry said firmly. Soda squeezed Darry's hand gratefully.

The officer looked up from his notebook and seemed about to say something else, but Darry stood up, bringing himself up to full height, which was a good couple inches above the cop. The cop appeared to reconsider.

"We'll let you know if we find anything," he said finally.

Darry nodded stiffly. "I'd appreciate it."

Officer Sullivan turned and without another word walked from the room. As soon as they were alone again Soda felt his self-control crumble. He body began to tremble and his breathing quickly turned shallow and ragged. Darry was immediately back at his side.

"Sh, it's okay Soda," Darry soothed gently, carefully brushing Soda's hair back off his forehead. "It's over. You did great, little buddy, I'm really proud of you."

Soda took in a shuttering breath, tears beginning to cloud his vision. "Was I wrong?" he whimpered, looking up at Darry. Something about the way the cop had asked his question had bothered Soda. "S-should I not have given him the money?"

Darry gently cupped Soda's face in his calloused hands, forcing him to look up at him. "You listen to me, Sodapop," he said steadily. "Someone's got a gun pointed at your head like that, you do whatever he says, no questions asked. You did _nothing_ wrong. You and Steve both came out of there alive, that's all that matters and that's all I care about. That's all Pony cares about. That's all Two-Bit cares about. You hear me, little buddy?"

Soda nodded slightly, but tears were still slipping down his cheeks.

"Even Mike doesn't care about the money," Steve spoke up carefully. Soda looked over at him. "He hasn't once said anything about the money, he just keeps askin' how you're doin'."

Soda nodded again, feeling marginally better. If his boss wasn't concerned about the money getting stolen then Soda supposed he shouldn't either.

"Deep breath, Soda," Darry instructed, and Soda realized that he was still shaking and his breathing was still ragged. Retelling the events of that night had brought back the terror he had felt as the thought he was going to die. He looked up and met Darry's eyes. "You gotta calm down, or they'll have to sedate you again."

Soda definitely didn't want that so he did his best to take in a calming breath. He wished he had the strength to sit up so that he could curl into Darry and feel his big brother's arms securely around him. He was completely drained though and could simply lay there and gasp for breath as he tried to control his panic.

A nurse walked into the room, looking at him with concern. "Do you feel okay, Sodapop?" she asked.

"He's okay," Steve spoke up. He looked over at Soda. "Right, Soda?"

Soda nodded. "'M fine," he managed in a less than steady voice.

The nurse didn't look convinced in the slightest as she walked more fully into the room. "He's gotta be really careful with the stitches in his chest," she said, glancing at Darry. "I can give him something to help him calm down."

Soda was suddenly aware of a sharp stabbing pain in his chest.

Darry leaned in closer. "C'mon Soda," he said gently. "I don't want to, but if you can't calm down I'm gonna have to let her."

Soda knew that he was right. He carefully reached up his good arm and took hold of one of Darry's hands, willing himself to steal some of this brother's composure. Darry squeezed his hand lightly and with his other hand he comfortingly stroked Soda's hair back. Soda concentrated on his own breathing, deliberately taking in slow breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Slowly, painfully slowly, he felt his muscles begin to relax. His breathing became less strained and he felt much more at ease.

"He's alright," Darry said, looking up at the nurse. She nodded and thankfully turned and left the room. Soda let out a sigh of relief. He dropped his hand back down to the bed, feeling drained of all energy. "You look tired," Darry pointed out. "Why don't you get some rest?"

Soda shook his head. He didn't want to sleep through another visit, especially since he would be alone all day tomorrow again. "I wanna wait for Pony to get back," he said. "I wanna hear about the rest of his day." Soda remembered that Pony had been in the middle of telling him about his day when they had been interrupted, even though he couldn't remember any details about it. It wasn't fair. He could remember every single detail from the night he got shot, but he couldn't remember the story that his little brother had been telling him just fifteen minutes ago.

"Okay, little buddy," Darry agreed.

Soda quickly found that this task was going to be more difficult than he originally thought. As the adrenaline from the whole ordeal was wearing off his eyelids were feeling heavily and he had to fight just to stay awake.

A few minutes later the nurse came back in with a tray of food, placing it carefully on the table next to his bed.

"See if you can eat something," the nurse said gently. Soda made a little bit of a face, having no appetite at the moment. "The sooner we can get you eating normally again the sooner we will be able to get you home."

Soda nodded tiredly. He definitely wanted to go home as soon as possible. After the nurse had left he looked over at Darry and Steve. "Can you help me sit up some?" he asked, aware of how exhausted he sounded.

"Sure," Darry said. He reached over and grabbed the extra pillow from where it sat on one of the chairs next to Soda's bed. Steve and Darry came up on each side of him. "Ready?"

Soda nodded his consent. Steve carefully grabbed one shoulder while Darry grabbed the other. Slowly they began lifting his upper body up off of the bed. Soda couldn't help but take in a sharp breath as pain stabbed through his chest. Luckily he didn't have to sit all the way up, after just a second Darry shoved the extra pillow behind Soda and they lowered him back down. Soda sighed in relief as he leaned back against the pillows.

"Thanks," he murmured, suddenly feeling even more drained of energy. His plan to stay awake was starting to seem less and less likely, but that didn't mean he still wasn't going to try.

"You okay?" Darry asked, concerned.

"'M fine," he mumbled.

Soda's eyes wandered over to where the tray of food sat. Darry saw this and reached over, rotating the table until it hovered over his bed, suspended by an arm that was attached to the side of his bed. Soda mustered up his strength and reached for the spoon next to the bowl of soup. He ladled the broth out of the bowl and into his mouth, mechanically swallowing. He repeated the action several times before he felt what little strength he had left fading away. His hand still held the spoon as it rested on the table in front of him as his eyelids sagged. He couldn't protest as Darry reached over and gently took the spoon from him and placed his hand back down on the bed.

"Get some rest, Pepsi-Cola," Darry said softly, and he felt a hand run through his hair affectionately.

"Tell Pony I still wanna hear about his day," Soda mumbled even as he began drifting off once again.

"I will," Darry promised. "Now go to sleep."

"Mmm," Soda hummed as darkness took over and he slipped back into blissful unconsciousness.


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm so glad that so many people like this story because I am very excited for it. This week I got hit with some inspiration for later in this story and I starting writing parts of it. I can't wait to get to it! So just so you guys know, this story is far from over and there is more action to come! Thanks so much for all your support!

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

"_You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family."_

_- Trenton Lee Stewart (The Mysterious Benedict Society)_

Pony was disappointed to find that by the time he and Two-Bit returned from the cafeteria with sandwiches for everyone Soda had already fallen back asleep. Darry assured him that the interview had gone fine and that he had only fallen back asleep after he had eaten some which was a good thing, but Pony still wished that he was able to talk to his brother.

The gang hung around for another hour, watching Soda sleep peacefully. When it was time to leave none of them had the heart to wake him, even though they all knew he would be cross that they left without saying goodbye.

They were out in the parking lot before Darry spoke up, glancing over at Steve. "What happened to your face?" he asked bluntly, eyeing the bruise resting on his cheekbone.

"Got into a fight with some Socs," Steve recited.

"When did you have time to do that?" Darry asked, cocking an eyebrow. From the tone in his voice clearly he didn't believe him, just as Pony and Two-Bit hadn't believed him this morning on their way to school when they had asked the same thing.

Steve shrugged, kicking at some invisible gravel. He didn't answer and Darry knew better than to push the issue.

The truth was it was fairly obvious what had really happened. The situation was all too common in their neighborhood. They could all recognize the signs, even though it was an unspoken rule that no one would talk about it. Two-Bit had dropped Steve off right at his house the night before and Steve had driven to the Curtis' early this morning to pick them up for school. There had been no time for Steve to get into a fight with any Socs; the entire gang was too exhausted at night to go anywhere what with being at the hospital for days at a time. That left one reason that Steve would have a mysterious bruise with a vague and less than believable explanation after going home. Steve's father had never been particularly violent, even if he did kick Steve out of the house practically on a weekly basis. Something must have really set him off last night.

Everyone knew better than to push Steve on the subject. Questioning him further would only succeed in making him angry and defensive. There was no way that he – a seventeen year old hood – would ever admit that his old man had gotten the better of him. Just like Pony's nightmares, this was a situation more suited for Soda to handle. And since he wasn't in any condition to they had no choice but to drop the subject.

Pony followed Darry toward his truck while Two-Bit followed Steve to his car as they made to go their separate ways.

"Hey Steve, the couch is open if you need it," Darry called over casually.

"Yeah, thanks," Steve said flatly as he climbed into the driver's seat of his car.

The ride home in the Curtis truck was quiet as the brothers left each other to their own thoughts. Pony was so lost in his own head that he was surprised when Darry shut off the engine, glancing around to find that they were already park in their driveway.

Pony felt empty as he walked into the quiet house with Darry following behind him, pausing for a moment to pull the mail out of the box next to the door. Pony absolutely hated having to leave Soda alone in that hospital. It just didn't feel right when they weren't all together, especially at night. The past week had been one big nightmare and Pony was anxious for some sense of normalcy.

Darry wandered past Pony and headed for the kitchen, staring intently down at the letters in his hand as he flipped through them, a slight frown on his face. Pony watched him carefully as he sat heavily at the kitchen table, sorting out the junk mail from the bills. He always looked so much older when he looked at their bills. It was almost as if he were aging right in front of Pony's eyes.

"You hungry, Pony?" Darry called without looking up from the mail.

Pony shook his head. "No, not really," he said. After hesitating for a moment he walked into the kitchen and headed for the ice box. He pulled out the carton of chocolate milk and unscrewed the lid.

"Not out of the carton," Darry said, glancing up at him briefly just as he had begun to lift the carton to his mouth. "Pour it in a glass."

Pony sighed. He hadn't thought Darry was paying attention to him. He obediently moved to the cupboard and pulled out a glass. As he poured his milk he kept on glancing over at Darry who was beginning to tear open some of the envelopes, completely absorbed in the task. He replaced the milk back in the icebox and then took his glass to the table, quietly sliding into the seat next to Darry.

Several minutes passed in silence as Pony watched Darry study their bills.

"How much trouble are we in?" Pony finally asked bluntly.

Darry looked up at him. He sighed tiredly and leaned back in his chair. "It's not too bad yet," he said. "We should get at least something from Soda's paycheck on Thursday from what he was able to work. We should be okay for this round of bills anyway."

"What about the next round of bills?" Pony asked.

Darry paused. "We'll have to figure something out," he said vaguely.

"Like what?" Pony persisted.

Darry was quiet for several long seconds. "I dunno," he finally admitted. Pony was taken aback for a moment by his answer. He couldn't remember a time when Darry had ever admitted to not knowing what to do. Ever since their parents died he had always had all the answers.

"If we fall behind on the bills the state will take me and Soda away," Pony said quietly, looking down at the table, feeling his stomach sinking down toward his feet.

Darry reached over and placed a comforting hand on Pony's arm. "I'm gonna do my best to make sure that doesn't happen," he promised, a pained look in his eyes.

Pony looked up at him. "I can help," he said steadily. "I can get a job."

Darry immediately shook his head. "You ain't gettin' a job, Pony," he said firmly, his very predictable response. "You're gonna focus on your schoolwork."

"I'd focus better if I wasn't afraid of being taken away from my brothers," Pony insisted.

"You're too young to be workin'," Darry tried.

"Soda had a job at the stables at my age," Pony countered. Darry still hesitated. "C'mon, Darry. I'm not talkin' about droppin' out of school or nothin'. I'm just talkin' about helping keep us together. After everything… I just can't lose you and Soda. Not now."

Darry sighed heavily. "You are not gonna get a job _right away_," he finally allowed reluctantly. "We'll see how things go and if we get into trouble and we don't have _any_ other options then we will consider you getting something part time. Just a few hours a week, nothin' that'll take up too much time."

Pony nodded. He knew that was the best he was going to get out of Darry right now. "Thanks," he said.

"But I want you to know something, Pony," Darry went on seriously, meeting his eyes. "Even if someday the state does come in and takes you and Soda away… that won't change the fact that we will always be family. No matter what. You will never really lose me or Soda like that, even if we had to be separated for a short while. And it would only be a short while, because I would be working every day doing my damnedest to get you two back."

Pony cracked a small smile. "Even after all the trouble we've both caused you?" he asked lightly.

Darry smiled and then reached over and ruffled Pony's hair. "Yeah, I've gotten used to cleanin' up after you two."

Pony pretended to be angry that Darry had messed up his hair, playfully swatting away his brother's hand, but in truth he was glad that Darry was here to comfort him. Pony had always depended on Soda so much for that, but with a sinking feeling he was reminded that Soda wasn't here with them. Soda was alone in the strange hospital room.

"Darry?" Pony said slowly, serious once again. "How was Soda really when he was talkin' to the cop?"

Darry studied him for a moment, as if sizing him up. Pony set his expression with a determined look. He really wanted to know what went on after Darry had sent him away. He was still annoyed that Darry hadn't let him stay.

Finally Darry sighed in defeat. "He's still real shook up about the whole thing," he admitted. "Really can't blame him for that though. He did fine at first, but the more specific the questions got the more upset he got. It was amazin' how much he remembered though. Hopefully it'll be enough to help the cops catch the bastard."

Pony was only vaguely surprised by Darry's cursing. Darry never cursed, less so in front of his youngest brother. But that robber had been just a heartbeat away from taking away one of the last things they had left to hold dear: their brother. It had been difficult when they had lost both their parents in the same night. Barely more than a year later it would have been nearly impossible to cope with the death of the middle Curtis brother. That not only went for the other two Curtis brothers, but for Steve and Two-Bit as well. Just the thought of how close they had come to losing Soda caused tears to well up in Pony's eyes. He hastily tried to blink them away, but not quickly enough that Darry didn't notice.

"Hey, Pony," Darry said gently, reaching over and putting a comforting hand on Pony's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, alright? We'll bring Soda home in a few days and we will work through the bills and one way or another we'll get through this."

"What did we ever do to deserve all this?" Pony wondered quietly, almost to himself. They had lost so much in just the past year alone and so much had gone wrong. Why was everything always so difficult for them?

"I dunno, kiddo," Darry answered softly, giving his shoulder a light squeeze.

Pony looked up and met Darry's eyes, for once seeing past the steely calm and seeing the sadness that lay just below the surface. Pony had a hard to figuring out how his oldest brother was able to keep himself together after everything that had happened. First they had lost their parents and he had to take over custody of his younger brothers, giving up his dream of being one of the few in their neighborhood to go to college. Then months later his youngest brother had almost been forcibly drown and then went missing for a week after been implicated in the murder of a seventeen year old kid. Now his middle brother had almost been killed by some guy robbing the gas station he worked at. Pony suddenly found it amazing that all this stress hadn't caused his twenty-one year old brother to have a heart attack by now, or at the very least driven him to start drinking.

"How do you do it?" Pony finally asked, a hint of awe in his voice. "How do you keep so calm through everything we've been through?"

Darry shrugged. "I have to," he said simply. "I just have to for you and Soda. So I do." He paused for a moment, thinking something over. "I didn't keep it together so well that week you were gone though. Soda can attest to that."

Pony felt the familiar wave of guilt wash over him whenever he thought about that particular week. "I'm sorry, Darry," he said quietly.

Darry smiled at him. "It's okay, Pony," he assured him. "It's done and over now."

"And now we're on to the next tragedy," Pony mumbled.

Darry opened his mouth to respond when they were interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming. They both looked over to see Steve collapsing on the couch and kicking off his shoes. Pony felt relieved to see him. He had been afraid his pride would have gotten in the way of accepting a safe place to stay for the night. After all, they owed Steve a lot, and a place to stay was the least they could do. If Steve hadn't been there Soda very well could have bled to death.

Darry stood up and moved over to stand in the doorway, studying Steve from a distance for a moment, obviously looking for any obvious signs of abuse. When he was satisfied that Steve appeared unharmed he turned and went back to the table, gathering up the bills and placing them neatly on the counter.

"I'm gonna head to bed, kiddo," Darry said, stretching a bit.

"Yeah, me too," Pony agreed. It was still pretty early but the past week had been particularly exhausting.

As they both walked through the living room Steve had turned on his side to face the inside of the couch, his back to the rest of the room as an obvious sign that he wanted to be left alone. Not that they were planning on bothering him anyhow. Unfortunately there wasn't much to say to him at this point. They had provided him with a safe place for the night. That was all they could do for him right now.

"Let me know if you need anything," Darry said as he headed into his own room.

"Yeah, thanks," Pony said.

Pony moved into his own room slowly, carefully closing the door behind him. His room wasn't particularly big, especially considering that it was usually shared by two teenaged boys and all of their clutter. But somehow it just seemed so large and empty without Soda there. He quickly changed and then crawled into the empty bed. He rolled over to the far side of his side of the bed, curling up to try and make himself as small as possible. As he closed his eyes he could almost imagine that Soda was laying there with him, just out of reach.

He couldn't wait until Soda finally came home.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Okay all you reviewers are the best! Just wanted to let you know that. :)

And just a note to those of you who also read my other Outsiders story, The Ties That Bind, I promise that'll be updated soon. I'm a little behind because I was moving all this weekend. I'm hoping to get the next chapter of that story finished in the next few days and posted before next weekend!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

_I wanna wake up  
I've been walking in my sleep to long  
Wake up  
I'm so sick of dreaming  
I wanna slow down  
I wanna be part of what is happening around me_

_- Sick Puppies (Issues)_

XxXxX

Over the course of the next few days the gang was encouraged to see obvious improvements to Soda's condition. He still spent a lot of his time sleeping, but when he was awake he seemed more and more like himself. The nurses had begun tilting the top of his bed up so that he was resting in a sitting position during the day and he was even beginning to eat meals on his own. It was clear that Soda was bored out of his mind though, stuck in the hospital day and night. They did their best to entertain him with board games and card games while they were there, but he still asked every day when he could go home.

However other than the obvious boredom Soda seemed to be in good spirits while they were there with him. As his mood improved so did the moods of the rest of the gang. Even Steve was in a good mood, and thankfully he hadn't shown up with any more mysterious injuries since Monday. Things finally seemed to be falling into place.

"Now what is the meaning of this?" Two-Bit demanded, indicating a small book that was sitting on Soda's bedside table. He, Pony and Steve were all gathered around Soda's bed in the middle of a game of gin rummy. It was Friday evening so Pony hadn't brought any of his schoolbooks with him, making the book in the room seem that much more out of place. Two-Bit gave Soda a comically serious look like he had just caught him committing some sort of crime.

"This is what I've been reduced to in this hospital!" Soda said in mock outrage. "I'm so bored I started to read a _book_!"

"Oh the shame!" Two-Bit laughed, placing the back of his hand against his forehead dramatically.

"What book are you reading?" Pony asked curiously, peering over at the book.

"_Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_," Soda said. He reached over and picked up the book with hardly any wincing. He handed the book over to Pony so he could look at it.

"Chocolate factory?" Two-Bit said. "Well I suppose that sounds more like you." He laughed. They all knew that Soda, Pony and Darry all loved chocolate, but Soda probably was the chocolate fiend of the family. And that was saying something.

"I haven't heard of it," Pony said, flipping over the book to read the summary on the back.

"Wow, you've one upped the kid with a book," Steve said with a laugh. "That's a first."

"The nurse said it was new," Soda said. "It's not bad."

"We really need to get him outta here, before he becomes a reader," Two-Bit said seriously.

They all laughed at that comment, simply relieved that they were able to joke like this. Just six days ago none of them were sure that Soda would even ever leave the hospital. Just six days ago none of them were sure that Soda would even live to the next day.

A few minutes later Darry walked in, obviously having just got out of work, followed by Dr. Evans. Two-Bit glanced down at his watch, noting that Darry was a little later than usual. Most days he walked in at 6:19 on the dot after speeding over right from work. You could set your watch to that fact. It was now a little after 6:30. He figured that Darry had probably been out in the hall talking with the doctor.

"Well, Sodapop," Dr. Evans said. "Today we are going to take out your stitches. After that I'm going to have you move around a little bit, stretch your legs after being confined to the bed for so long. And if everything goes well you should be ready to go home tomorrow morning."

Soda's face lit up at that last statement. "I can go home tomorrow?" he repeated, obviously wanting to make sure he heard the doctor correctly.

The doctor nodded, smiling lightly at Soda's reaction. "Yes, as long as everything goes well."

"Hell, doc, I'll do a tap dance down the hallway if it means I get to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night," Soda said with a weak grin, earning a few chuckles from the rest of them.

"Now when you go home I still want you on bed rest for another week," the doctor went on. "You should get up and move around a little bit each day, but you should still spend the majority of the day resting. Also no heavy lifting of any kind for at least four weeks. I'd like to see you back here in about a week in order to assess your recovery."

Soda nodded. A nurse entered a moment later carrying a tray filled with some sharp looking instruments. Soda watched wearily as she placed the tray at the side of his bed and the doctor settled himself on a stool next to him. Darry moved around to stand on Soda's other side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Pony also moved closer, carefully taking Soda's free hand. Two-Bit and Steve both stood back, not wanting to crowd Soda's bed too much.

"Removing stitches is a very simple and painless procedure," the doctor assured Soda, noticing the look on his face. "It may be a bit uncomfortable but it shouldn't be painful."

Soda nodded, though he still looked a little nervous. The doctor started with his arm, which was the more minor injury. He carefully unwrapped the bandage around Soda's bicep, reveling the healing gash pinned together by five little black stitches. As the doctor went to work, Two-Bit averted his eyes, not having much of a stomach for medical procedures. He had felt physically ill when he had witnessed Soda's first dialysis, but he had done his best to hide it. Instead he watched Soda's face. Soda was watching the doctor dig the stitches out of his skin, but thankfully his face didn't show any obvious signs of pain. Soda had been through too much pain already.

A few minutes later Soda's arm was free of stitches. Dr. Evans carefully cleaned the wound and re-bandaged it with a clean bandage.

"Now, I'm going to need you to sit up for a minute," the doctor said, indicating the bandage that wound around Soda's chest. Soda nodded. With Darry's help he slowly pushed himself up off the bed. He didn't have far to go since the top of the bed was already tilted up, but he still winced slightly at the movement. "Do you still feel significant pain when you move around?"

"Not much," Soda said. "It's mostly just stiff and achy."

Dr. Evans nodded. "That is normal and to be expected," he assured him. "You'll still be pretty sore probably for another week or so."

Soda nodded, taking in a slow, steadying breath. The doctor carefully began pealing back the layers of bandages covering his chest. The sight he revealed wasn't as gruesome as Two-Bit thought it would be. After all the trouble the wound had caused, he had half expected to see a huge gaping hole in Soda's chest. The scar was long and thin, clearly from the incision the surgeon had made over the actual bullet hole in order to repair the damage done by the bullet.

Soda leaned back against the bed as Dr. Evans went to work removing the stitches from his chest. Soda winced slightly a few times, but didn't appear to be in any significant pain, which was definitely an improvement.

"Okay, one more to go," Dr. Evans said after he had finished. "If you could sit up and try to lean forward a bit."

Two-Bit gave a start at this statement. The doctor had taken the stitches from Soda's arm and his chest, what was left? Aided by Darry again, Soda slowly sat up and hunched his shoulders over as the doctor shifted his attention to his back. Two-Bit shifted a bit, finding that Soda had a small wound on his lower back, dangerously close to his spine. Two-Bit hadn't even realized there was an exit wound. He hadn't realized that the bullet had apparently gone straight through Soda's entire body. He glanced around to the others in the room. Pony looked a little surprised as well, but Darry and Steve didn't. Two-Bit realized they must have seen it when they had helped Soda sit up last time they had changed his bandage. He wondered if Soda himself had realized it either. The look on his face was guarded, so it was hard to tell.

A few minutes later Soda's skin was finally free of all stitches. Darry carefully helped Soda lean back against the bed as Dr. Evans cleaned up his things. Soda had a contented smile on his face, obviously relieved to be on his way out of this place.

"I'm going to go ahead and remove your IV," the doctor told him. "Then I want you to try and get up and walk around a bit. Your legs are probably going to feel weak for a while just because you've been off them for so long, but the more you move around the better it should feel. Also some dizziness is to be expected as well. Just take it slowly."

"Okay," Soda said.

As the nurse left with the supplies the doctor had used to remove the stitches, Dr. Evans carefully removed the IV needle from Soda's hand. After his hand was free Soda flexed it a little bit, clearly grateful to finally be rid of the thing.

"I've got a few other patients to look in on," the doctor said. "So make sure you take it real easy and I will be back to check on you in a little bit."

Soda nodded. "Thanks, doc."

"Alright, little buddy," Darry said with a smile as the doctor left the room. "How about we get you out of this bed?"

"Sounds good to me," Soda said, smiling back.

Soda sat up with Darry's help once again. He winced a little as he shifted his legs around and his bare feet hit the floor for the first time in a week and three days. Darry put his arm around Soda's back, supporting him as he slowly shifted his weight to his feet, sliding off the bed. He pushed himself upright for a moment but then his eye's fluttered and his knees buckled as he fell against Darry.

"Easy, Soda, I got you," Darry said, holding him up as he blinked confusedly.

Two-Bit and Steve immediately moved forward to help. Two-Bit happened to be closer, so he moved to Soda's other side, helping to support him as he put Soda's arm carefully over his shoulder. Soda was able to shift a little bit so that he was standing more centered with most of his weight supported by Darry and Two-Bit.

"Thanks," Soda mumbled.

"You okay?" Two-Bit asked with concern. Soda suddenly looked awfully pale.

"Just dizzy," Soda said.

"Just take a minute," Darry told him. "There's no rush."

"Can I sit for a second?" Soda asked tiredly, sounding a bit short of breath.

"Of course," Darry said. Working together both he and Two-Bit lowered Soda back down to sit on the edge of the bed.

Soda hunched over a little, placing a hand to his head. Darry kept one hand out in front of him, obviously to make sure that Soda didn't topple forward off the bed. But as he sat there his color began coming back and he seemed a bit steadier. After a few minutes he put his hand back down and looked up again.

"Okay, let's try again," he said.

"You sure?" Two-Bit asked skeptically.

Soda nodded. "Yeah, I feel better now."

Two-Bit looked over at Darry who shrugged at him as if to say that if Soda wanted out of that bed they really couldn't deny him that right now. Two-Bit reminded himself that the doctor wanted Soda moving around anyway.

They both moved to either side of Soda again, each grabbing one of his arms – Two-Bit had to grab his elbow and his forearm since he was on the side with the bandage around his bicep. As they helped lift Soda back to his feet Two-Bit suddenly realized that he seemed a lot lighter than he really should be. As he really looked at him he could see how much weight he had lost in a very short amount of time. He felt almost fragile under his touch and his hand could almost wrap all the way around Soda's upper forearm. It was a toll that the infection must have taken on Soda's body. Since they had not left Soda's side in the days of his severe sickness it had been hard to notice the change, though now that he realized it the difference was painfully obvious.

As Soda came up to full height he seemed much steadier this time. After getting his bearings for a moment Soda slowly slid one foot forward, shifting his weight carefully while still relying on Darry and Two-Bit for support. He slid his other foot along as Two-Bit and Darry moved forward with him.

"His first steps!" Two-Bit laughed. "Oh I wish I had my camera!"

Soda gave him a mock-glare as he managed a weak thump to Two-Bit's back with his fist. "Watch it," he said, but there was a hint of laughter behind his voice.

"How do you feel?" Darry asked as Soda slid his foot forward once again.

"My legs feel like Jell-o," Soda said.

"You look like an old man, shufflin' about," Two-Bit said with a grin. This time it was Darry who reached over and smacked him upside the head.

"Thanks," Soda said with a smile.

"No problem," Darry said as Two-Bit pretended to pout. "It'll get easier as you move around more."

Soda continued to shuffle around the room for several more minutes. After a while Two-Bit moved away as he seemed more stable. Darry also eventually loosened his grip, though he never let go of Soda completely. Soda lay one hand lightly on the wall for balance as he made his way around the room. Then he glanced over to where Steve, Two-Bit and Pony were all gathered.

"Would you stop staring at me?" he demanded. "It's like I'm in a damn zoo."

"It's just so damn _fascinating_ to see you out of bed," Two-Bit said, cocking his head and pretending to be mesmerized.

Steve turned and glared at him. "I'll really hit you if you don't knock it off," he warned.

Two-Bit held up his hands defensively as a sign of surrender. He was just trying to lighten the mood. They were all a bit disappointed to see that Soda was having a hard time just making it around the room.

"C'mon Soda, you don't wanna push it too much," Darry said gently. Everyone could see the exhaustion making its way back into Soda's features. Just the trip halfway around the room had taken a lot out of him. Without protest Soda turned and headed back toward the bed, relying more and more on Darry for support. As they made it back to the bed Soda's legs gave way and he collapsed onto it with a small groan of frustration. "It'll get better," Darry assured him as he helped him climb back up into the bed.

"I sure hope so," Soda muttered.

"I was talkin' to the doctor," Darry said. "He said your body will still feel weak for a while, but you will keep improving over time. It's just a slow recovery because it was such a severe infection. We'll try again later and I'm sure you'll do better."

Soda nodded, blinking tiredly. He looked like he was fighting hard to not fall back asleep. He always seemed to fight it while they were visiting. He never liked to sleep through visits.

"Darry?" he said tiredly.

"Yeah, little buddy?"

"When can I go home?"

There was complete silence in the room. Over the past couple days there had been several small demonstrations of Soda's short term memory loss – forgetting which card game they were playing, asking Pony about the same class twice – but this was by far the biggest thing he had forgotten.

Darry gave him a strained smile. "Tomorrow," he said. "We're gonna take you home tomorrow morning."

Soda smiled. "Really?" he said, excitement brimming under his tired voice. "I can go home tomorrow?"

"That's right, Pepsi-Cola," Darry assured him.

"I can't wait," Soda sighed as he drifted back off to sleep.

"How could he forget about going home?" Pony asked quietly from where he sat next to Soda's bed.

"I think he was just tired," Darry said, glancing over at him. "It'll get better."

"You really think it will?" Steve asked flatly.

Darry shifted his gaze to look at him. "We have to hope," he said evenly. "In any case, we get to take him home tomorrow."

"Is he really ready to go home?" Pony asked carefully.

"The doctor said there's not much else they can do for him," he said. "He's steadily improving and all he really needs right now is rest."

They were all quiet for a moment. They all knew that all these hospital bills were going to put the Curtis brothers very far into debt. Which meant the sooner they could get Soda back home where he could lay around for free the better. But at the same time it was nice this past week during the day while everyone was at school and work knowing that Soda was taken care of by the hospital staff. Unfortunately they couldn't afford that luxury for long.

Darry looked over at the rest of them, a look of reluctance on his face. "Do you guys think you could pick him up tomorrow morning?" he asked slowly. "I gotta work…"

"Yeah, don't worry Darry," Two-Bit spoke up. "We'll get him home."

Darry nodded. "Thanks," he said, clearly disappointed he couldn't even be there when Soda came home. "The doctor said I could fill out all the paperwork tonight so that you guys can just pick him up tomorrow morning."

Steve was suddenly digging around in his pocket. He pulled out a folded up piece of paper and held it out to Darry. "I picked up Soda's paycheck from work last night," he said simply.

Darry reached out and took it. "Thanks Steve," he said. He unfolded it and smoothed out the paper, looking at the number and trying unsuccessfully to hide the disappointment on his face. It must have been smaller than he had been hoping for. Then he seemed to realize that there were two pieces of paper, not just the one. He pulled them apart, looking at the second one for a moment. "Here," he said holding the second piece of paper back out to Steve. "You accidentally gave me yours too."

Steve shoved his hands in his pockets, making no move to take the paper that Darry was holding out to him. "Keep it," he said bluntly.

Darry just stared at him for a minute, as did Pony. Two-Bit was not at all surprised though. If he had a job he would be doing the same thing. He actually kind of wished he did have a job right now. Then he would be able to help too.

"Steve, I'm not taking your paycheck," Darry said as if it were obvious.

Steve shrugged. "I ain't takin' it either," he said. "You guys need it more than I do."

"You can't just give me your _entire_ paycheck," Darry insisted, shaking his head.

"I just did," Steve countered.

"How're you gonna put gas in your car?" Darry reasoned.

"If I need to get somewhere I'll walk or hitch a ride," Steve said.

"I'll drive to school next week," Two-Bit spoke up.

"What about food?" Darry demanded. "You've got to buy food."

"I'll make sure he doesn't starve," Two-Bit said.

"See, it's fine," Steve said.

"Steve…" Darry said reluctantly, still holding out the paycheck.

"Look, Darry, if you don't take it I'll burn the damn thing," Steve said. "Then no one gets the money. So you might as well just take it."

There was a moment where Darry and Steve locked eyes, neither moving. Finally Darry sighed, lowering his hand, placing Steve's paycheck with Soda's.

"Why?" Darry finally asked.

"Soda's my family too," Steve said quietly. "Not to mention… he saved my life. He sacrificed himself for me."

"What do you mean?" Pony asked.

Steve sighed. "Soda was standing behind the counter. I walked in the front door and spooked the guy. He started firing… at me. I dove out of the way, but there was nowhere for me to really take cover. If Soda had just stayed where he was and just ducked down under the counter he would have been fine. But he was jumpin' on top of the counter, clearly trying to tackle the guy. If he hadn't done that, the guy wouldn't have turned around back toward him. If he hadn't done that it mighta been me in that bed instead of him." The room was silent as Darry, Pony and Two-Bit all tried to process this new information. "There ain't many people who move _toward_ a clearly loaded gun instead of away from it," he said quietly. "So let's forget for a moment that if I hadn't walked in right at that moment none of this would have happened."

"This isn't your fault, Steve," Darry said evenly.

"Don't bullshit me," Steve suddenly snapped.

"Yeah, your timing wasn't the best in that sense," Darry allowed. "But you don't know that the guy would have just taken the money and run. There was nothin' to stop the guy from shooting Soda at point blank range after he got the money. He would have had a clear getaway and no witness. So walkin' in when you did… may have actually been a good thing. It may have saved his life."

Steve stared at him blankly. Clearly that thought hadn't crossed his mind. "I'm still not takin' the money," he finally said.

"Fine," Darry allowed. "But I ain't takin' any more from you."

Steve didn't bother to answer. Two-Bit had a feeling he'd be witnessing a similar augment next payday as well. Both Steve and Two-Bit knew full well that the consequences of the Curtis brothers going broke would be far worse than the two of them going broke. Their gang had already dwindled from seven to five in a very short amount of time. Neither Two-Bit nor Steve could stand the thought of Soda and Pony getting taking away and probably felt just as strongly about it as Darry did. Like Steve had pointed out, they were family. And family looked out for one another.

* * *

Author's Note: Yay, Soda's coming home! So please review? ;)


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: Yay, thanks to all you reviewers! I haven't had internet all week so it took me a little longer to answer reviews, hopefully I got to everyone! Let me know what you think of this chapter. There's a little more background on Steve in this chapter, I couldn't find anything really official about his past so I just came up with my own. Hope you like it!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

"_Home is not where you live, but where they understand you."_

_- Christian Morganstern_

It was early Saturday morning. Much earlier than Steve was usually up on a day when he didn't have to work. When they had left the hospital the night before, they had promised Soda that they would be back bright and early to pick him up. They all knew how anxious he was to get out of the hospital after being stuck there for a week and a half. Two-Bit was meeting them at the Curtis house and they would all go to pick him up. Everyone but Darry that is. Steve knew how much it would be killing him not being able to be there.

They had woken Soda up again before they had left the night before. He got up out of bed again and did another lap around the room with the help of Darry and Two-Bit. He had been more successful than the time before, but by the time he got back to the bed he was clearly exhausted. It was such a simple act, just walking around a room. It was disturbing to see Soda struggle so much with it.

As Steve walked along in the gutter he could see the Curtis house beginning to come into view. It was always strange going from his own house to the Curtis'. It always had been really, even when he was younger. It had been a long time since his house had felt like a home. For most of his life it just felt like a place he went to sleep. He used to have some hazy memories of being happy in his house. They were all from before his mother had passed away and his father had started drinking. He had been only six when his mother had lost a battle with cancer. It wasn't a long battle against the disease either since they couldn't afford much treatment. After that he had never felt like his father really wanted him around. It was more that he was stuck with a kid that only reminded him of his dead wife.

Steve's father had never been particularly physically abusive. Sure there was the occasional beer bottle thrown in his direction and every so often his dad would shove him around a bit, but mostly they would just have loud, heated arguments. It was nothing like what Johnny's father would do though. When he used to see little Johnny Cade come around covered in bruises he used to actually consider himself lucky. His home life could be worse. That didn't stop him from being pissed as hell every time his own dad kicked him out of the house. The first time he had kicked him out Steve had been ten years old.

Last Sunday night had been the first time Steve's father had actually hauled off and really belted him good though. No sooner had Steve stepped in the house he had been on him.

"_Where the hell have you been?" his father had slurred, drunk as usual. _

"_Surprised you even noticed," Steve had mumbled as he kicked off his shoes. He headed for the kitchen, his stomach grumbling. His father had followed him._

"_You've been gone for three days," he spat. "An' you owe me money."_

"_I've been gone for six days, but you were close," Steve said as he opened the ice box. "And how the hell do you figure I owe you money?"_

"_You live under my roof," his father said. "You eat my food. You owe me money!"_

"_Yeah, well maybe you should of thought of that before you had a kid," Steve shot back angrily. He slammed the ice box shut without taking anything out. "I don't want your damn food anyway." He had made to push passed his father._

"_You ungrateful brat!" his father had shouted._

_Before he had time to react suddenly his father's closed fist had connected solidly with his cheek. The force of the blow was enough to send him slamming back into the ice box, seeing momentary spots invade his vision. As the spots cleared his sight immediately went red with rage. He was seventeen years old; his dad couldn't just push him around like that. Steve forcibly pushed himself away from the ice box and shoved his old man hard. He was already unsteady from the alcohol and easily went sprawling to the floor. _

_His father was still shouting obscenities at him as he stomped down the hallway and went into his bedroom. He slammed his door so hard that it didn't catch and bounced back open and he had to slam it again. _

When Steve had seen his father the next night he had given him ten dollars. Twice as much as he usually gave him after he kicked him out. That had only made him angrier. He had taken the money but had immediately turned and stormed out of the house. That was when he had turned up at the Curtis house, a place that felt more like a home than his house ever would.

As Steve entered the house early that morning he found that Darry and Pony were already up and dressed. Pony was sitting on the couch watching cartoons on the TV, leaning back casually but nervous energy causing his foot to bounce continually.

"Hey Steve," Darry called from the kitchen. "You hungry?"

"Naw, I ate," he said. He hadn't, but he didn't want to be taking food from the Curtis house right now. He knew that Darry had enough to worry about financially without more mouths to feed. He dropped down on the couch next to Pony.

"Two-Bit was supposed to be here ten minutes ago," Pony mumbled mostly to himself.

Steve glanced over at him. "Don't sweat it, kid," he said. "I'm sure Soda's just sleepin' anyway. He won't notice if we're a little late."

Pony looked at him, a little surprised by his response. He knew that he wasn't always the nicest when it came to dealing with Soda's little brother. It just wasn't in his blood to be a big brother he guessed.

"I gotta get goin'," Darry said flatly as he came out into the living room, his tool belt slung casually over his shoulder. "I should be back around dinner time. Don't let him try to do too much today, the doctor said he still needs lots of rest. You call me if you have any problems."

"We will," Steve assured him. "It'll be fine though. We'll pick him up, bring him home and put him to bed in his own bed. No sweat."

Darry nodded, but he still looked troubled. "I'll call and check in on my lunch break," he said.

"Sure sure," Steve said casually, waving him toward the door. "Get goin', we got this."

"Yeah, okay," Darry said, heading out the door. "I'll see you guys tonight."

They both listened to Darry's truck start up and then pull out of the driveway. It was quiet for several minutes and the two of them just sat there a bit awkwardly, staring at the TV. Finally they heard Two-Bit's old junker rumbling into the driveway. Steve got up and clicked off the TV as Pony was already hurrying out the door.

"You're late," he heard Pony call as he followed him outside.

"Sorry, kid, I couldn't get the car to start," Two-Bit said.

"That's 'cause this bag of bolts belongs in the scrap yard," Steve said. He climbed into the front seat while Pony climbed into the back.

"Hey now, this car is just fine," Two-Bit insisted as he ground the gears into reverse.

"Yeah, 'cause I keep fixin' it for you," Steve pointed out as they started off toward the hospital.

"That's right," Two-Bit agreed. "And what kinda mechanic would you be if you couldn't fix a car."

"Some cars deserve to be put out of their misery," Steve said, rolling his eyes.

By some kind of miracle about ten minutes later they were pulling into the hospital parking lot. Since it was still early Two-Bit managed to find a spot close to the front.

"Why don't you two go in and I'll wait here," Two-Bit said. "I'm a little concerned that if I turn off the car it might not turn back on." He laughed as Steve rolled his eyes again.

Steve and Pony left Two-Bit in the parking lot and headed into the all too familiar hospital. They headed right up to Soda's room. When they entered, just like Steve had predicted, Soda was sound asleep. He felt a little bad waking him, but he knew that Soda desperately wanted to go home. Plus he also knew that Darry couldn't afford for Soda to stay any longer than completely necessary.

Pony carefully approached the bed. He reached out and gently shook Soda's shoulder.

"Hey Soda," Pony said softly. "Hey, wake up."

Soda moaned lightly at the disturbance. He slowly blinked his eyes open, taking a moment to focus on Pony.

"Pony?" he mumbled sleepily.

Pony smiled. "You ready to go home?"

Soda grinned, pushing himself up in bed slightly. "Boy am I," he confirmed.

Pony had brought Soda some clothes to change into – jogging pants and a t-shirt to make it easier for him. Soda managed to change without too much difficulty, though he did need help pulling the t-shirt over his head. As Pony finished helping him get ready Steve headed out into the hall and down to the nurses' station.

"We're pickin' up Sodapop Curtis," Steve told the nurse. "His guardian filled out the paperwork last night."

The nurse looked at him skeptically, but flipped through the charts on her desk.

"Yes, looks like you're right," she said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "I'll just get you a wheelchair to get him to the parking lot and you'll be free to go." Steve nodded his thanks. He waited as the nurse left and she returned a moment later pushing along a wheelchair. "Do you need anything else?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Steve said. "We've got it from here."

The nurse pulled a small piece of paper from Soda's file. "Here's a prescription for some painkillers," she said. "He's been off of intravenous painkillers since last night and he will likely be beginning to feel the difference soon, especially as he starts to move around. He'll probably need the prescription twice a day for another week or so to manage the pain."

Steve nodded, pocketing the prescription. He took the wheelchair and returned to Soda's room. Soda was sitting up with his legs hanging down over the edge of the bed.

"Ready to blow this joint?" Steve asked.

"More than ready," Soda said.

Steve moved the wheelchair closer and put on the brakes. Then he moved over next to Soda, helping him slowly stand and shift to sit in the chair. Once he was settled Steve went back around to the other side and released the break. He pushed him forward and out into the hallway, the first time Soda had left that room in a week and four days. As they moved through the hallways Steve noticed Soda looking around carefully, taking in every sight that they passed. It was probably the most excitement he had had since landing in this hospital. He had only the same four walls to stare at for the past week and a half.

"Wait," Pony said as they reached the door. They paused as he dug around in the backpack he had brought along that had carried Soda's clean clothes. He came up with a jacket and held it out to Soda.

"It's not even cold out, is it?" Soda said, looking at the jacket skeptically. "Anyway, I'm just goin' to the car, right?"

"Darry made me promise to have you wear it," Pony said. "You can't get sick, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Soda sighed. He reached out and took the jacket.

Steve reached down and helped Soda shrug into the jacket. He was glad Darry had thought of that and Soda wasn't putting up too much of a fight. He knew that they couldn't be too careful. The image of Soda lying on that hospital bed, sweating and shaking and not responding to anyone was still burned into all their memories. None of them wanted to see Soda like that ever again.

They walked through the doors and out into the parking lot, spotting Two-Bit's car right where they had left him. The car was still running and Steve figured that was a good sign. As they approached Two-Bit got out of the car to help.

"Your chariot awaits!" Two-Bit announced.

Soda smirked. "Let me guess, you didn't want to turn it off cause you weren't sure it would turn back on."

Two-Bit rolled his eyes. Steve helped Soda out of the wheelchair and into the back of the car. As he slid sideways onto the seat Steve noticed him grimacing slightly. Two-Bit took the wheelchair back to the front doors as Soda got settled. He returned a minute later, climbing back into the driver's seat. Pony climbed into the backseat along with Soda while Steve returned to the front seat.

As they started back toward the house Steve kept glancing at Soda out of corner of his eye, trying to be discreet about it. As Two-Bit hit a hard left turn he noticed that Soda braced himself against the door and winced, bringing his other hand to his chest.

"Hey, take it easy on the turns," Steve said, looking at Two-Bit seriously.

Two-Bit glanced in the rearview mirror, catching the slight distress on Soda's face. "Sorry, Soda," he said, slowing down a bit.

Soda gave him a smile that was also a grimace. "It's okay," he said.

Two-Bit's driving was uncharacteristically careful for the rest of the ride back to the house. As they pulled into the driveway Steve glanced back and saw that Soda was smiling as he looked at the rickety old house. Clearly he was happy to be home.

"Welcome home, Soda," Pony said, grinning.

Soda smiled back at him. "Damn good to be home," he said.

"Damn miracle this car made the trip," Steve pointed out.

Two-Bit reached over and playfully cuffed him upside the head. "That's the last time I give you hoods a ride out of the goodness of my heart."

As they all climbed out of the car Soda pushed his door open and managed to swing his legs around so that he was sitting sideways in the seat. Since Two-Bit was the closest he moved over and took one of Soda's arms in order to help him to his feet. Soda began to stand up but partway up he stopped suddenly, gasping and grabbing his chest as his face screwed up in pain.

"Soda?" Two-Bit said unsurely.

Steve vaulted over the hood of the car and hurried over to Two-Bit's side. "Here, sit back down," Steve offered quickly, taking Soda's other arm and helping him lower back down onto the seat. Soda groaned, hunching over on himself. Pony was hovering nearby and all three of them exchanged worried glances, unsure what to do.

"Soda?" Steve said gently. He kneeled down on the ground so that he was looking up at Soda and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Soda, you okay?"

Soda nodded slightly even though he was still tensed up. "I think so," he murmured. "I think I just tried to stand up too quickly."

"You let us know when you wanna try again," Two-Bit spoke up.

"We're not in a hurry," Steve added.

Soda was quiet for another minute as his breathing slowly evened out and he seemed to relax a bit. He looked up at them. "Okay," he said by way of consent.

He reached out his hands and Steve and Two-Bit each carefully took a hold of him on each side. Together they slowly pulled him to his feet. He winced, but didn't appear to be in as much pain as he had been the first time. As he made it up to full height Steve shifted around, putting Soda's arm over his shoulders in order to better support him. He could feel Soda leaning on him heavily as they started up the walk. As they reached the porch stairs Soda thankfully felt steadier. They slowly ascended the stairs and Pony hurried in front of them so he could hold the door open for them as they shuffled through.

Inside Steve headed for the couch, leading Soda along. He wanted Soda to get off his feet as soon as possible and he figured the couch was as good as the bed. Two-Bit came over to help and together they helped Soda slowly sit down on the couch. Soda gave a sigh of relief as he leaned back.

"Are you still in pain?" Pony asked worriedly as he carefully sat on the couch next to Soda.

Soda looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "Not as much," he assured his little brother.

Steve suddenly remembered the prescription in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked down at it. "The nurse gave me a prescription for painkillers," he said. "I could run and get it filled…" He let the thought trail off as he suddenly remembered he had no money because he had already given Darry his entire paycheck.

"I know where Darry keeps some emergency cash," Pony offered, obviously reading Steve's features.

Steve nodded, knowing they didn't have much of a choice. Pony started to get up but Soda reached out, carefully taking his arm and keeping him in place. "No, that's okay," he said softly.

They all looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?" Pony asked curiously.

"It doesn't hurt that much," Soda said. "I don't need the prescription."

They were quiet for a moment, with Pony, Steve and Two-Bit all exchanging skeptical looks with each other.

"Soda, you could barely get out of the car 'cause you were in so much pain," Steve pointed out slowly.

"Yeah, but it's better now," Soda insisted.

They were quiet again. It was obvious what was going on in Soda's head. "I'm sure Darry wouldn't mind us borrowing from his emergency stash," Steve said.

Soda shook his head. "We're gonna need that money," he said quietly. "We can't afford any more expenses…"

The other three hesitated again.

"Maybe I could call Darry and ask…" Two-Bit tried. They all knew that Darry wouldn't deny his brother medication, no matter the financial situation.

"No, don't bother him at work," Soda said. "I really don't need it, so just don't bother."

None of them knew how to make him change his mind. As they all looked at Soda it was clear the toll that the trip had taken on him. He was blinking heavily, clearly fighting to stay awake. For now all they could do was accept defeat and make him comfortable. Pony helped him out of his jacket as Two-Bit went in search of a blanket. Steve helped Soda lay down on the couch, noting his wincing at the movement as he tried to make himself comfortable. Pony pulled off Soda's shoes as Two-Bit returned, throwing a blanket over Soda.

It didn't take long for Soda's eyes to flutter closed and his features to relax. They could at least take comfort in the fact that while Soda slept he wasn't in pain.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

_I will never let you fall (let you fall)  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)  
Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

_-__ Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Your Guardian Angel)_

Darry felt terribly distracted throughout the day as he worked. He kept on waiting for a phone call from one of the gang saying something had gone wrong when they had tried to get Soda home. But one never came. He figured that was a good sign but it still killed him not knowing what was going on back home. He felt like a terrible big brother, but as guardian he knew that he had to make sure the bills were going to get paid.

Darry ended up working right through lunch, knowing that the extra money would be hugely helpful in the long run. As the work day finally ended though he was that much more anxious to get home and see how everything had gone. He was the first one down the ladder as the end of day whistle sounded and he practically jogged to get to his truck. He managed to make it home in record time, thankful that traffic as well as traffic lights all seemed to be working in his favor.

As he approached the house he could see that Two-Bit's junker of a car was sitting in the driveway. He was glad that the guys were able to stick around all day. He left his truck on the curb at the side of the road and quickly headed inside.

As he walked in the front door he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Soda sound asleep on the couch. It sure was good to have his brother home at last. He closed the door as quietly as he could behind him, not wanting to disturb Soda, before heading for the kitchen. He found a very familiar sight as he entered. Two-Bit, Steve and Pony were all sitting around the kitchen table, playing cards scattered around them.

"So you switched from playing cards in the hospital to playing cards at home," Darry laughed.

"It's the only quiet activity we know!" Two-Bit said.

"Yeah, and you're usually not quiet about it," Darry pointed out as he placed his tool belt on the counter. "How did everything go today?"

"Pretty good," Steve said. "We didn't have any trouble at the hospital."

"What about after the hospital?" Darry prompted.

He noticed the looks that were passed between the three in front of him as he waited for a response. Finally Steve sighed, having somehow silently been voted into being the bearer of what Darry suspected to be bad news. He put his cards face down on the table in front of him and looked up at Darry.

"He did fine until we got here," he admitted. "But when we went to help him out of the car… he was in pain. A lot of pain. He couldn't even stand up all the way. He had to sit back down for a few minutes before we were finally able to get him up."

Darry sighed and he ran a hand through his hair. "How's he been since?" he asked.

"He's been okay," Steve said. "He's just been laying around on the couch. He woke up a few times and we got him to eat some around lunch time. He keeps _saying_ that he's not in pain…"

Darry didn't miss the way Steve said his last statement. "You don't believe him?"

"Not really," Steve said bluntly. "Before we left the hospital the nurse gave me a prescription for painkillers for him. She said they had taken him off whatever painkillers he was on before and that he'd probably need them twice a day for another week. But when I mentioned going to get the prescription filled after his episode he said he didn't need them."

"Why would he say that?" Darry asked, confused.

"We think he's worried about the money," Pony spoke up quietly. "I said that we could use your emergency money, but he said that we'd need that."

Darry sighed heavily. Money was one thing that Darry really didn't want Soda of all people to be worrying about right now. Taking care of the money was his job, not Soda's. Even though over the past year Darry had relied on Soda a lot for help, Darry was the guardian, not Soda.

As if on cue Darry heard a light moan coming from the living room behind him. He turned around to see Soda's eyes were open and he was wincing as he put one hand to his chest. Darry turned and walked back into the living room.

"Hey, little buddy," Darry said as he sat in the recliner next to the couch, leaning forward on his knees.

Soda looked up at him and gave him a strained smile. "Hey," he said. "How was work?"

"Long," Darry said. He studied Soda for a moment. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Soda paused. "No, not much," he said unconvincingly.

"Really?" Darry said. "You've been off pain meds for almost twenty four hours now. The doctor said you'd still be pretty sore for a while."

Soda gave a small shrug. "It's not bad," he said.

Darry sighed. "I'm gonna send Pony and Two-Bit out to fill your prescription," he said bluntly.

"Really, Darry, I don't need it," Soda insisted.

"Yes you do, Soda," Darry said gently.

"We can't afford it," Soda pointed out tiredly.

"You let me worry about what we can and can't afford," Darry said firmly.

There was a short pause as Soda agonized over something in his head. "I don't want to be the reason we get separated," Soda finally admitted quietly, looking up at him with worry in his eyes.

"Oh Soda," Darry sighed. He slid off the recliner and kneeled down next to the couch instead. "None of this is your fault. And just because you need pain meds doesn't mean that we're gonna go broke. I'm takin' more hours and Steve's even pitchin' in. We're gonna be okay, alright little buddy?" Soda nodded reluctantly. "Okay. Now I'm gonna send Pony and Two-Bit to get your meds. You'll be able to sleep easier with them."

"Yeah, okay," Soda finally consented.

Darry smiled and gave him a light squeeze on his shoulder. Then he stood and headed back to the kitchen. Even though nobody in the kitchen had moved, it was clear they had been listening to his and Soda's conversation very intently. They looked up as he entered the room again.

"Two-Bit, could go you with Pony to get Soda's prescription filled?" he asked, pulling out his wallet.

"Sure, no problem," Two-Bit said, putting his cards down.

Steve dug in his pocket and pulled out what Darry assumed to be the prescription and handed it over to Pony. Darry handed some money to Two-Bit and the two immediately got up and headed for the door. Darry turned back to the kitchen, on to the next order of business: dinner.

"What did you guys have for lunch?" Darry asked as he started going through cabinets. Their food supply was a little low. He would have to find some time to get to the grocery store soon. He would also have to find some money to spend at the grocery store.

"Just sandwiches," Steve said. He stood and walked over to Darry. "Need some help?"

"Only if you can make some food appear out of thin air," Darry sighed.

"I could run out and get something," he offered.

Darry shook his head. He reached into the cabinet and grabbed a box of pasta that he was pretty sure wasn't too old. Pasta didn't go bad anyway, right? "No, this'll do for tonight," he said.

"Well just make enough for you, Pony and Soda," Steve said as Darry dug around for a pot to boil water in. "Me and Two-Bit'll go out and get somethin'."

"With what money?" Darry asked skeptically.

Steve shrugged. "We'll figure something out."

Darry sighed. He felt bad. Normally he would insist on Steve and Two-Bit staying for dinner. More and more in the past few months the whole gang tended to get together for dinner at the Curtis house. It was a comfort to be together after the loss of both Johnny and Dally in the same night. If anything the sudden losses had brought what was left of their small gang even closer together. But Darry knew that he couldn't really afford to feed two extra people every night right now.

"Thanks, Steve," he said apologetically. He glanced over his shoulder toward the living room. "Will you check on Soda? See if he needs anything?"

"Sure thing," Steve said, heading out of the room.

By the time Darry finished making dinner Pony and Two-Bit had returned from the pharmacy. Pony immediately got Soda a glass of water so that he could take his pain meds and Darry heard Soda gladly accept them, proof that he actually did need them. Soda hadn't been completely wrong when he pointed out that they couldn't afford the medication, but Darry just couldn't stand the idea of his brother being in constant pain because of their money problems. He made a mental note to see if he could squeeze in some extra hours of work this week.

Darry decided that it was best to leave Soda where he was, so after Steve and Two-Bit left he had Pony help him move the food out to the living room, setting up on the coffee table rather than the kitchen table. He helped Soda sit up and shift around so that his feet fell down to the floor, but he was still leaning back heavily on the couch as he balanced his plate in his lap. Still it was good to be able to have a family meal again.

Darry was glad to see that Soda ate everything on his plate without much difficulty. His appetite was certainly back, though it was still obvious his strength was not. As he finished eating it was clear that he was fighting just to stay awake.

"How are you feelin'?" Darry asked him as Pony cleared the plates.

"Tired," Soda sighed. He paused. "And tired of feelin' tired." He smiled lightly.

Darry laughed softly. "You should start feelin' better soon," he assured him. "Now c'mon, let's get you to bed."

Soda closed his eyes and leaned his head back, resting it against the couch. "I can stay here," he murmured, clearly too tired to move.

"C'mon, you'll be more comfortable in your bed," Darry urged.

"Hmm," Soda hummed, already falling asleep.

Darry sighed as he watched him. Pony came back in a minute later.

"Are we just gonna leave him on the couch?" Pony asked, looking up at Darry.

Darry shook his head. "He really needs to be in bed," he said.

He considered his options for a moment. Normally he probably wouldn't be able to lift his seventeen year old brother especially after working all day, at least not without some difficulty and he certainly didn't want to hurt Soda with all his injuries. But Soda had lost some weight over the past week and a half and he had just taken his pain pills. He figured he could probably manage it.

Darry reached down and moved the coffee table out of the way. Then he squatted down next to the couch, carefully putting one arm behind Soda's knees and placing his other arm behind his back, making sure to stay plenty clear of the bandages that he knew wound around his midsection under his t-shirt. Lifting from his knees in and attempt to save his already aching back, Darry slowly stood back up, shifting his brother securely into his arms. He was thankful when Soda didn't even stir.

"And he said _I _was getting too big to be carried," Pony pointed out lightly with a smile.

Darry smiled back, remembering back to just a few months ago when Pony had been too exhausted to make it in from the truck after coming back from Windrixville. Pony had been lighter than normal as well. With that memory came a pang of guilt though. Why did he seem to have so much trouble keeping his little brothers safe and out of trouble?

He carefully maneuvered through the house, doing his best not to jar Soda at all. As he finally made it to the bedroom he lowered Soda down onto the bed as gently as he could. Soda let out a light moan and his eyelids fluttered, but thankfully he didn't fully wake.

"At least he's getting plenty of rest," Darry said quietly.

"It's just so weird to see him sleeping so much," Pony said softly from behind him. Darry turned to look at him and saw a troubled look on his face.

"Yeah," Darry agreed. "It won't last forever though. He's gonna keep gettin' better."

"Why did this have to happen to him?" Pony said almost to himself. "I mean… Soda dropped out of school so that he could work so we could stay together… then he gets shot just doin' his job? How is that fair?"

Darry frowned. "It doesn't make sense," he said slowly. "But we're gonna get through it."

Pony nodded. Darry headed out of the room so that Pony could get ready for bed. He wandered into the kitchen eyeing the bills that still lay on the counter. He had already paid some of them but it was going to be a struggle to pay the rest. And he knew this was only the beginning. It was only going to get worse, especially when the hospital bills started coming in. Just the thought of that made his head spin.

He was assuring everyone around him that everything was going to be okay… but honestly he had no idea how they would be able to pay for everything. He would never admit this to anyone, but he knew that it was a very real possibility that in the next few weeks the state could swoop in and take both Pony and Soda away from him because he couldn't pay all the bills. That thought truly terrified him. Under normal circumstances it would be horrible if his brothers were taken away, but it would be even worse if they were taken away while Soda was still recovering. He wasn't sure how any of them would be able to deal with that.

He knew that before all this was over he was going to have to ask for help from their friends, maybe even Pony too, or risk losing his brothers. As much as he hated the idea it was still a lesser evil than the alternative. But he also knew that there was only so much that they could do. It still might not be enough.

Darry figured there would be no use going through the remaining bills tonight. He piled them up to go through tomorrow before turning and heading back down the hall. He knocked softly on the door to his brothers' bedroom before slowly opening the door. He saw Pony just crawling into bed next to Soda. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was good to see them back together. Finally everything seemed almost normal again. At least for this one moment in time.

Darry walked into the room as Pony was curling up next to Soda, wrapping his arms carefully around his brother's uninjured arm.

"You holler if you need anything," Darry said.

Pony nodded. "I will," he said. "Night, Darry."

"Night, Ponyboy," he said. He looked over at his other brother. "Night Soda," he said even though Soda was sound asleep. "It's good to have you home, little buddy."

He turned and walked back out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Both his brothers were finally back, safely under his roof. He could only hope that somehow he would be able to find a way to keep it that way.


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: Hey guys! Just a quick note to those of you who also read my other story Ties that Bind: I'm so sorry I'm behind on it. But don't worry, it will not be forgotten. Work has just been so crazy lately. I hope to get up a new chapter early next week. Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter! Please remember to review!

**Chapter Twenty**

_And like a single domino  
That falls while the rest stay vertical  
We're fed these empty fairytales  
Oh will you believe them?_

_- Rise Against (Disparity by Design)_

On Sunday Darry worked a double shift and hardly got to see Soda or the rest of the gang at all. He worked right through lunch again, ignoring his own exhaustion knowing that bills were going to be really difficult in the coming weeks. He came home late at night and barely had the energy to wake Soda briefly in order to help him change his bandages. Soda was only half awake during the process. After putting Soda back to bed it was all Darry could do to make it to his own bed before falling deep asleep.

Darry groaned loudly as his alarm went off Monday morning. It couldn't be morning already, could it? After a minute he rolled over and turned off the annoying beeping noise. He cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. It was that moment that he realized something wasn't quite right. He coughed to try and relieve the scratchy feeling in the back of his throat, but it only made it burn. There was also a dull pounding in his head and he felt congested.

Darry just lay there for a moment in denial. He couldn't be sick. He hadn't gotten sick in years. He couldn't get sick now, not with Soda in his current condition. The doctor's words echoed in his ears.

"_His immune system has been compromised from the whole ordeal, which is why it will be so important to keep him as healthy as possible in the future. Patients who get sepsis and survive do not always do well going forward. Another infection, even a minor one, could prove fatal."_

He couldn't take the risk. Even a simple cold could cause serious complications for Soda. He would never be able to live with the guilt if Soda got sick because of him. He had to keep Soda safe. He just had to. Even from himself.

Darry felt a huge weight weighing down on him as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He coughed again, feeling his throat burn. He absolutely hated the thought of having to stay away from his injured brother. He suddenly felt so useless. Soda needed him and Darry had so little time with him when he wasn't working and now even that was taken away from him. He heavily got to his feet.

He wandered out into the hallway and hesitated outside of his brothers' door. He was conflicted. He didn't even want to touch the doorknob for fear of spreading his germs. But he had to at least get Pony up for school. Then a thought dawned on him. He headed out into the living room and sure enough he found Steve sprawled out on their couch, snoring lightly.

"Hey, Steve," Darry said. He kicked the couch lightly to jar him awake.

"Huh?" Steve mumbled, blinking around sleepily.

"Time to get up," Darry said. He covered his mouth and coughed again.

Steve looked up at him blearily, and then slowly sat up. "You feelin' okay Darry?" he asked slowly, looking at him almost critically.

Darry sighed and shook his head. "I think I got a cold," he said flatly. Steve looked at him seriously, clearly knowing what that meant. "Could you go get Pony up? I don't wanna get near Soda."

"Yeah sure," Steve said. He stretched and then got up, stumbling down the hall.

"And be nice about it!" Darry called after him as an afterthought.

Darry wandered into the kitchen and then stopped short. He couldn't even make breakfast because he didn't want to risk getting anyone else sick. He felt incredibly frustrated.

A few minutes later Steve shuffled into the kitchen, followed by a very confused and sleepy looking Pony. Darry carefully shifted away from them, standing awkwardly in the corner of the kitchen trying not to get too close to anything.

"What's goin' on?" Pony said sleepily as he fell into a chair at the kitchen table.

"Darry's sick," Steve answered bluntly as he took a seat next to Pony.

Pony looked over at him with wide eyes. "How sick are you?"

"Just a cold I think," he said. "But the doctor said even a minor infection could be real bad for Soda."

"But you never get sick," Pony said in disbelief.

"Yeah, until the worst possible time apparently," Darry said tiredly. As if to prove his point another cough escaped his throat.

"When was the last time you were near Soda?" Steve asked slowly.

Darry sighed heavily. He knew full well he could have been sick before he really felt any symptoms. "I helped him change his bandages last night," he said, feeling his heart sinking.

"Somebody should probably stay home with Soda today," Steve said. "Keep an eye on him and look for symptoms. I can do it."

Darry nodded. "That's a good idea, thanks," he said. Even though he never approved of skipping school he resigned himself to making an exception. This was very important. It was Soda's life. "Try to keep him in his room as much as possible too."

"Is there any point in asking if I can stay home too?" Pony asked without hope.

"No," Darry said automatically. He coughed as he started back toward the hallway. "You guys are on your own for breakfast. I don't want to touch anythin'."

"You goin' back to bed?" Pony asked.

Darry paused and gave him a strange look. "No," he said as if it were obvious. "I'm gonna go get ready for work."

Pony and Steve both returned his strange look.

"But you're sick," Pony said slowly.

"I still gotta work," Darry responded.

"You're supposed to rest when you're sick," Steve pointed out. "Otherwise you're just gonna get sicker."

Darry tried and failed to suppress another cough. "You both know full well we can't afford for me to miss any work," he said. He ended the discussion by walking away and closing himself in his room. As he got ready as managed to dig up some cough medicine with a respectable expiration date. He went back into the hallway, passing outside the closed door of his brothers' room again. He sighed. He prayed that this cold wouldn't last long as he turned without his usual goodbye to Soda and headed out the door.

XxXxX

Steve watched out the window as Darry loaded up into his truck and headed off to work. Steve knew full well that if it were any of the rest of them Darry would be insistent on them staying home and resting in order to get better as soon as possible so as not to risk Soda's health. He could understand why Darry couldn't bring himself to even consider staying home from work though.

After Pony grudgingly left for school Steve decided to check on Soda. With how close Darry had been to him last night Steve felt very nervous. Soda had only been out of the hospital for a few days. After finally getting him back home, he very well may land himself right back in the hospital.

Before he could go into Soda's room he decided that he should wash up just in case. One of the things the doctor had mentioned to do was to wash their hands frequently when they were around Soda in an attempt to keep him healthy. He spent a good ten minutes in the bathroom scrubbing his hands all the way up to his elbows. He didn't want to take any chances. After he was finished he went and knocked lightly on his friend's door. When he didn't hear an answer he slowly opened the door and peaked in. The room was dark with the curtains drawn. He could just make out Soda's still form, curled up on his side, fast asleep. Steve carefully entered, not wanting to wake him, and softly closed the door behind him. He moved closer to the bed and attempted to study Soda in the dim light. He seemed to be resting peacefully with no obvious signs of sickness that Steve could tell.

Steve settled himself into Pony's desk chair, contented to watch over Soda. He thought back to when Soda had first gotten the infection back in the hospital and how Steve had been the one who had first noticed his symptoms. He couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if they hadn't been there. How long would it have been until one of the nurses checked on him and noticed that something was wrong? Another hour? Maybe more? The doctor had said that one of the advantages they had was that they had caught his infection early. Steve couldn't help but think that if they hadn't been there watching Soda then they might not have caught it early enough. He might have died because of it.

It was another half an hour before Soda began to stir. Steve first noticed Soda's arm moving toward the empty space next to him, almost as if he were searching for something. His eyes slowly blinked open and he looked around blearily for a moment before his eyes fell on Steve, looking at him curiously.

"What are you doin'?" he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Watchin' you sleep," Steve said, biting back a laugh at his own joke.

"That's creepy," Soda said with a lopsided smile. He yawned. "Where's Pony?"

"He's at school," Steve said.

"Oh," Soda said. He paused for a minute and Steve could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He patiently waited for the next logical question, letting Soda work it out for himself. Soda looked back up at him. "Why aren't you in school?"

"I'm babysitting," Steve laughed. Soda glared and then grabbed Pony's pillow and flung it at him. It was a pretty weak throw and Steve caught it easily, but it was still a good sign that his strength was starting to come back. "Darry woke up sick today. We just wanna make sure you didn't catch anythin' from him when he was helpin' you change your bandages last night."

Soda looked troubled at this news. "Darry's sick?" he said. Steve nodded in confirmation. "How sick is he?" Clearly he was worried about his brother.

"Not real sick," Steve assured him. "Looks like just a cold. But the doctor said that even a minor infection could be real bad for you." Soda nodded, worry in his eyes. "How do you feel?"

"No worse than usual," Soda said.

Steve nodded, feeling marginally better. "You let me know right away if anything starts to feel off," he said.

Soda rolled his eyes. "Yes, mother," he said sarcastically. "Did Darry stay home at least?"

Steve snorted. "Superman?" he said. "He don't rest!"

"He's been workin' too much," Soda said. "That's probably why he got sick."

Steve nodded. "We tried to tell him that," he said. "But when he's got his mind made up no one can change it."

Soda nodded. He shifted around for a moment and then slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing in the process. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed his pain meds. He popped two of them before reaching for the glass of water that was sitting next to the pill bottle and washing them down. Then he shifted and started to get out of bed.

"Whoa, where do you think you're goin'?" Steve said, getting up and going to block Soda's path.

"I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat," Soda said, looking at him like he'd lost his mind.

"You stay here, I'll go get somethin' for you," Steve said.

Soda rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Even the doctor said I'm supposed to get up and move around," he reminded him.

"Yeah, well you can move around this room just fine," Steve insisted.

"Oh come on!" Soda said with exasperation, sitting back down on the edge of the bed. "So Darry gets a little cold and suddenly _I'm _the one on quarantine? How is that fair?"

"Darry's not the one who could die from a simple cold," Steve said bluntly.

Soda was quiet for a minute, looking troubled by this statement. The annoyance quickly melted away from his features, leaving some form of despair behind. "Did… did you guys think I was gonna die?" he asked carefully, not meeting Steve's eyes. "While I was sick? Was it really that bad?"

Steve hesitated for a minute. Then he slowly sat down on the bed next to Soda. "There were moments," he started slowly, "where you were hooked up to all sorts of machines and you wouldn't respond to anyone… it looked bad. And it went on for days and it seemed like you were only gettin' worse each day. Your blood pressure was really low and your temperature was really high and you were unconscious a lot of the time. Your kidneys were failing and your heartbeat was off and on irregular. After a while it was hard to imagine you comin' back from all that." Soda looked very solemn at hearing this information. Steve had to remind himself that Soda probably wasn't aware of much while he had been sick. "Do you remember anything from those days?" he asked curiously.

Soda closed his eyes for a moment, thinking hard. "I remember I was feelin' okay for a while after wakin' up in the hospital," he said slowly. "Then after a while I was slowly starting to feel sick, but I was too tired to really say anything about it. It seemed to happen kinda suddenly. I remember feeling hot and kinda sick to my stomach as I was fallin' asleep. Other than that I don't really remember anything, just some hazy images of you guys sittin' around my bed, lookin' worried, but I don't think I really understood why. I was just so tired."

Steve nodded. He was actually kind of relieved that Soda didn't remember much from the whole ordeal. He himself vividly remembered Soda's reaction the first time he had gone through the dialysis treatment and it had been unnerving. At least Soda didn't remember the pain he had been in.

"It was really hard to watch you go through all that," Steve said seriously. He looked over at Soda, who was staring down at his hands. "Soda." He waited for Soda to look up at him. "None of us want to see you go through that again. We're just tryin' to keep you healthy."

Soda paused and then nodded. "Yeah, I get that," he said.

"Good," Steve said, standing up. "Then you stay put. What do you want to eat?"

Soda smiled lightly. "Scrambled eggs with grape jelly and chocolate milk."

"You want all that in the same bowl?" Steve laughed.

Soda made a face. "No, the chocolate milk in a glass," he said. "Otherwise it'd just be gross."

"It sounds gross either way to me," Steve said, rolling his eyes as he headed out of the room.

Steve made up breakfast for Soda and brought it back to him in his room. Soda made a crack about him being a waitress and Steve cuffed him lightly and pretended to be offended. In truth he was just glad to still have his best friend to goof around with. Soda sat back against his pillows as he ate, still feeling too tired to sit up on his own for long periods of time. Steve contented himself to watching Soda eat, not wanting to take any food for himself despite his own rumbling stomach.

"Soda…" Steve said suddenly. Soda looked up at him between bites. "I never did get a chance to thank you."

Soda raised his eyebrows. "Thanks for what?" he asked, confused.

Steve took a deep breath. "Soda… if you hadn't jump on the counter like that and gotten that guy's attention… I wouldn't have had a chance, man."

Soda looked at him in surprise. Obviously he hadn't been expecting that. He was quiet for a minute. "You don't have to thank me for that," he said slowly. "I didn't even think about it. You woulda done the same thing."

Steve nodded, knowing that it was true. "I wish I coulda done more," he said.

"Hey, you did a lot," Soda said seriously as if it were obvious. "I wouldn't still be here if it weren't for you. I should be the one thankin' you."

Steve snorted. "Don't be stupid," he said.

"I'm serious," Soda said, looking at him steadily. "I feel like… holding onto you that night helped to keep me here." Then he smirked lightly. "Guess it's a good thing we always got each other's backs."

Steve smiled. "Yeah, you ain't a woofin'," he admitted. He reached out and patted Soda's shoulder. "I'll always have your back, buddy."

Steve let Soda finish up his breakfast. After that they played cards for a while, with even Soda complaining about how repetitive the game was becoming. They were going to have to come up with more interesting games to play soon, especially since Soda wouldn't be up for tossing around a football or wrestling for a while.

After a while Soda began dozing off in the middle of the game. Steve began gathering up the cards and placed them on the bedside table before coaxing Soda to lay back down and covering him with a blanket. It was so disheartening to see that Soda was still sleeping so much, even though he seemed much more himself while he was awake. Before all this happened Soda never seemed to run out of energy, and now suddenly it was like he didn't have any at all. Steve knew that his recovery would be going a lot quicker had he not gotten so sick from the infection. Hopefully this wouldn't last and soon Soda would be up and about like old times.

He just hoped that someday things would be able to go back to normal and they would be able to put all this behind them. After all, even despite his uncharacteristic behavior, Soda was still here with them. And that kind of luck was something that the Greasers hardly ever got. All they had to do now was keep Soda healthy.

Really… how difficult could that be?


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Wow! Almost 200 reviews! Thank you so much guys, all your wonderful reviews give me great motivation for this story. There's still a lot more to go in this story, so I definitely appreciate all your support! ^_^

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"_Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to."_

_- Mitch Albom (The Five People You Meet in Heaven)_

"Where's Steve at?"

Pony was standing behind the school that morning smoking when Two-Bit suddenly came up behind him, startling him out of his thoughts. Pony watched Two-Bit light up, taking a long drag off his own cigarette before he could bring himself to answer.

"Darry woke up sick this mornin'," he finally said bluntly. Two-Bit looked over at him sharply, knowing exactly the implication of that statement. "Steve stayed home with Soda to make sure he didn't start showin' any symptoms."

Two-Bit cursed loudly and then took a long drag off his cigarette. "I don't suppose you managed to convince Darry to stay home from work today, did ya?"

Pony shook his head. "He wouldn't even consider it. He's too worried about gettin' the bills paid."

Two-Bit was quiet for a minute as they smoked. "Do you know how much Darry makes in a day?" he suddenly asked, looking thoughtful.

Pony look at him in surprise. "Uh, no," he said. Darry and Soda never shared much financial information with him.

"Hm," Two-Bit hummed, taking another hit.

"Why?" Pony asked, looking at him curiously.

Two-Bit just shrugged. A minute later the warning bell rang and he tossed his weed to the ground and stepped on it. "C'mon, kid," he said. "We'll be late for class."

Pony cocked an eyebrow and took one last long drag off his cigarette. Two-Bit was never that thoughtful. Clearly something was on his mind but for the life of him Pony had no idea what it could be. He finally reluctantly tossed his butt to the ground and stamped it out before following Two-Bit into the school.

As the day dragged on Pony managed to put Two-Bit's odd behavior out of his mind. He was distracted by classes, not to mention being worried about Soda. He desperately hoped that Soda wouldn't have to go back to the hospital after everything they had gone through to get him home. Something had to work out in their favor at some point… didn't it?

Finally at long last the final bell rang. Pony rushed out of his last class, anxious to make it home to see how Soda was doing. He hurried to his locker, quickly shoving books in his backpack before heading out to the parking lot with the rest of the crowds. He looked around, spotting Two-Bit's old car and hurrying over to it. He waited impatiently until he finally spotted Two-Bit coming out of the school.

"It's about time," Pony grumbled as Two-Bit approached.

"Sorry kid," Two-Bit said. "I got held up checkin' up on somethin'."

Pony looked at him funny as they both climbed into the car. "What were you checkin' up on?" he asked curiously.

"Just somethin'," Two-Bit said vaguely as he started up the car. "Listen, we gotta make a quick pit stop before we head back."

"What?" Pony said, completely confused.

"It'll just take a minute," Two-Bit said as they started off.

Pony sighed, resigning himself to be along for the ride, wherever they may be going. He knew that once Two-Bit had his mind made up there was no changing it. Pony stared out the window, carefully taking in their surroundings as he tried to figure out where they were going. After driving for ten minutes they finally pulled into a fairly deserted parking lot. As Pony saw where they had ended up he turned and glared at Two-Bit.

"If my brothers knew about this, they would both beat you senseless," he pointed out.

Two-Bit grinned. "It's fine, kid," he said opening his door. "It doesn't get rough here till after dark. C'mon."

Pony rolled his eyes, but followed him all the same. It wasn't like he had never been to Buck's place before; even though he was trying desperately not to remember the last time he had been here. It had been much later at night under much different circumstances. It was a night that everything had changed.

Pushing away the painful memories, Pony followed Two-Bit into the roadhouse. There were a few people milling around, but overall it had the very subdued atmosphere of a place that would be much more exciting after nightfall.

"I'm lookin' for Buck," Two-Bit said, approaching the bar.

The bartender eyeballed him skeptically. "He's asleep," he said flatly.

"Well… wake him!" Two-Bit said brightly.

The bartender rolled his eyes but turned and headed upstairs all the same. Pony fidgeted while they waited, trying not to look around too much. He wasn't terribly comfortable being here and he still didn't really understand what they were doing. It was several long minutes before Buck finally came stumbling down the stairs, looking sleepy yet agitated.

"What d'you want?" he demanded as he approached, smelling strongly of whiskey.

"I heard that you're lookin' for a bartender," Two-Bit drawled.

Buck stared at him blankly. "Yeah? So?"

"Sooo," Two-Bit said, dragging out the word. "I want the job."

There were several moments of silence before Buck snorted in his face. "I'm gonna beat you senseless for wakin' me up for such a stupid joke, Matthews," he growled.

"It's not a joke," Two-Bit said simply, his voice calm. "I want the job."

Buck gave him a look that said that he thought he was crazy and Pony was finding that he was having a hard time not giving him the same look. They had been hounding him for years to get a job and suddenly he just decides all on his own to work? It made no sense.

"You know, the job includes actual _work_," Buck said slowly, studying Two-Bit critically.

"I kinda figured," Two-Bit said, leaning up against the bar casually.

"Why do you of all people suddenly want a job?" Buck asked, sounding confused.

Two-Bit sighed and suddenly his features became serious. "I need money," he said. "You hear what happened at the DX station a few weeks ago?"

Buck thought for a moment. "It got robbed, right?"

"Yeah," Two-Bit said. "And Sodapop Curtis was workin' there that night and he got shot. The Curtises are strugglin' with the bills and with Soda not workin'… well I need to step up and help them out. At least until Soda can get back on his feet."

Pony gave a start at hearing that explanation. He certainly hadn't seen that coming. He turned to look at Buck who was now looking Two-Bit more seriously. Neither of his brothers kept any company with Buck nor did they ever appear at his roadhouse except when they had been looking for Dally, which they obviously hadn't done in months. But Dally had been good friends with Buck. And Buck knew what the Curtises had meant to Dally.

Finally Buck nodded curtly. "Start tomorrow night," he said stiffly. "You don't pull your weight, I fire you."

Two-Bit nodded and patted the table. "Fair enough," he said with a smile.

Buck shifted his gaze and it rested on Pony for the first time. Pony shifted a bit uncomfortably under his stare and couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"Damn shame about that kid Johnny and about… about Dally," he said, his voice as hard as ever. "Glad your brother's doin' alright though."

Pony nodded. "Thanks," he said. Even though he still sounded tough and aloof, it was the most sympathy he had ever seen come from Buck Merril of all people. And suddenly he realized just how painful it still was to think about Johnny and Dally. The pain was still very fresh.

Pony glanced up at Two-Bit, his eyes begging for them to leave this place. Two-Bit seemed to get the message. "I'll see ya tomorrow," he said as he turned.

"Be here at seven, don't be late," Buck called, heading back upstairs.

"What was that about?" Pony asked as they crossed the parking lot once more.

"What d'you mean?" Two-Bit asked innocently.

"You ain't never had a job in your life," Pony said, cocking an eyebrow.

Two-Bit shrugged. "Never had a reason to have a job," he said. "As soon as your brother's better though, I'm out!"

Pony laughed as they climbed back into the car. "That sounds more like you," he admitted. Two-Bit may be a lazy Greaser, but when it came to helping the gang there wasn't anything he wouldn't do.

They took off again, this time heading back toward the house. Pony was anxious to make sure that Soda was still doing okay. If something had gone wrong Pony wasn't sure if Steve would have been able to contact him or Two-Bit at school. Pony was out of the car before Two-Bit had even come to a complete stop in front of the house and was hurrying inside.

In the living room Pony was relieved to see Steve lounging on the couch watching television. If anything had gone wrong Steve wouldn't be just sitting there right now.

"Hey kid," Steve said, glancing over at him.

"Hey," Pony said. "How's Soda?"

"He seems to be fine," Steve said with a shrug. "Other than still being tired he seems to be perfectly normal. He fell back asleep just a little while ago."

"Geez, kid," Two-Bit said, just coming in the door. "Practicin' for track?"

Pony rolled his eyes at him. He headed back to the bathroom and carefully washed his hands. He wanted to see for himself that Soda really was fine. He knocked softly on the door before slowly opening it. Despite it being late afternoon the room was still dark with the curtains drawn. Pony quietly closed the door behind him and made his way over to the bed. Soda was sound asleep under the covers, looking no worse for the wear.

Pony carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, content to just watching his brother sleep. He was still getting used to Soda finally being home with them after everything that had happened in the past two weeks. Soda shifted a bit at the disturbance and his eyes fluttered open, focusing on Pony after a minute.

"Pony?" he murmured.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly. "Go back to sleep."

"No, I'm up," Soda said, shifting himself up a bit on his pillows. "How was school?"

"Long and boring," Pony said.

"Oh c'mon, you like school," Soda pointed out with a smile.

"Yeah, well I would have rather been here with you," Pony said.

Soda laughed lightly. "Not likely," he said. "All I did was sleep all day. I think Steve was bored out of his mind."

Pony smiled. "But you're feelin' alright, right?" he asked, just to be sure.

Soda sent him an exasperated look. "Yeah, other than still feelin' tired and kinda achy, I feel fine," he assured him.

"I just don't wanna see you get sick again," Pony said. "It was… it was really scary."

"Yeah, I know kiddo. C'mere," he said, reaching an arm out. Pony leaned in and wrapped his arms carefully around Soda, taking care not to put any weight on his injuries. Soda wrapped his arms around Pony and gave him a light squeeze and Pony couldn't help but smile. Last time he tried to embrace his brother Soda had barely been able to lift his arms. It was definitely an obvious improvement. "I'm sorry I put you through all that," Soda said softly.

"It wasn't your fault," Pony assured him.

They stayed like that for several minutes until the sound of the front door opening and shutting brought them back to the present. As Pony pulled away from Soda he could hear the vague sound of coughing coming from the other room. Darry must be home.

"Go check on Darry," Soda said, leaning back against his pillows and looking toward the door with concern. "Make sure he eats somethin' and gets to bed early."

Pony smiled. "Me, boss Darry around?"

Soda laughed lightly. "You're the last healthy one," he pointed out. "You gotta help Darry out 'cause he ain't used to takin' care of himself. He's usually too busy takin' care of us."

Pony laughed, but he knew exactly how true that statement was. He felt bad leaving Soda alone in his room, but he knew that it was just too risky right now with Darry sick to let him leave the room. Pony was thankful that Soda seemed to understand that and wasn't trying to leave. He was already intimidated by the idea of trying to boss around Darry, he really didn't want to have to boss around Soda as well.

"I'll be back soon," Pony promised as he got up.

Pony headed back out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him in an attempt to protect Soda. As he headed back into the living room he saw that Darry was talking with Steve, obviously wondering how Soda was today since he couldn't check on him himself. As Pony studied him he could see that he was more run down looking than usual and he coughed several times as he was listening to Steve, who was very obviously keeping his distance. Darry might as well have the plague at this point, and none of the rest of them wanted to get sick and have to stay away from Soda as well.

"I think we got some leftover soup in the ice box," Pony thought out loud, heading for the kitchen.

He dug the soup out of the ice box and put it on the stove to warm it up. It was odd for him to be making dinner; usually that was Soda's job. It was just another little thing to make their lives feel a little less normal. After dinner was reheated Steve took a bowl in to Soda while Pony set up the kitchen table for him, Darry and Two-Bit.

"I'll eat later, kid," Two-Bit said, eyeballing the third bowl on the table.

Pony shrugged, taking the bowl back from the table and dumping in back into the pot on the stove. He figured they could probably use it anyway. Darry refused the stay home even when he was sick. That was saying something about their money situation.

Pony sat at the table with Darry as they ate with Two-Bit standing back, leaning up against the counter. It was quiet for several minutes, with only Darry's coughs to interrupt the silence.

"Are you feelin' any better?" Pony finally asked, glancing up at Darry.

Darry shrugged. "I just need a good night's sleep," he said, obviously avoiding the actual question.

"You need more rest than just one night," Two-Bit spoke up seriously.

Darry sent him a glare as he coughed. "Well I can't afford to take any time off, so you can just shut it," he said irritably, obviously tired of everyone telling him to take time off.

"Yeah, well now you can," Two-Bit said.

Darry looked at him strangely. "What the hell are you talkin' 'bout?"

"I'll talkin' about you takin' tomorrow off, and I ain't takin' no for an answer," Two-Bit said calmly.

"You're talking out of your ass, Two-Bit," Darry mumbled. He coughed.

"I'll help you out with your bills, so you can take a day off," Two-Bit said.

"Yeah, and how are you gonna do that?" Darry asked, obviously getting annoyed.

"I got a job," he said evenly.

There was dead silence for a solid minute. Pony suppressed a laugh at the look on Darry's face as he tried to absorb this information.

"Who the hell would hire you?" Darry finally asked.

"Buck did," Two-Bit said. "I even got a witness." He looked at Pony for support.

"It's true," Pony said. "Buck hired him as a bartender this afternoon."

"You took Ponyboy to Buck place?" Darry demanded, glaring at Two-Bit.

"Oh it was fine," Two-Bit said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's still in once piece, ain't he? There's nothin' goin' on there during the day anyway."

Darry was quiet as he seemed to process this news. "You really got a job?" he said, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Sure did," Two-Bit said with a lopsided grin. "Gonna get a paycheck and everything, just like an adult."

"You know you technically are an adult, right?" Darry said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Psh. I'm way more fun than some grown up," he said. "Anyways, I'm just gonna work until Soda gets back on his feet. Then I'm done. I got real important things to do other than work you know."

Darry rolled his eyes. "You know, you don't have to do this, Two-Bit," he said slowly.

"Hey, you guys are family," Two-Bit said seriously. "I wanna pitch in. You can't do it all on your own Darry and workin' yourself to death ain't gonna help anyone."

Darry looked at him and then sighed heavily. "If you're sure…" he said noncommittally.

"I'll chair you in your room if I have to," Two-Bit said. "You ain't goin' to work tomorrow."

Darry rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I guess I could use a day's rest," he said slowly.

"Good," Two-Bit said with a triumphant grin.

"You'll get better quicker if you get more rest," Pony pointed out, trying to make Darry feel better. "Then you won't have to stay away from Soda anymore." It was clear how much having to stay away from Soda was hurting Darry.

"Yeah," Darry admitted. He looked up at Two-Bit. "Thanks Two-Bit. I really appreciate it."

"Hey, it's the least I can do," Two-Bit said with a casual shrug.

Darry gave him a thankful smile before heavily getting to his feet, coughing lightly. "I'm gonna turn in," he said. He looked over at Pony. "Tell Soda I said goodnight. And make sure he takes his pain meds before he goes to sleep."

"I will, don't worry," Pony assured him.

Pony watched Darry stumble down the hall, suddenly feeling much older himself. It was an odd feeling for him and definitely out of his comfort zone. He was the youngest brother after all; it was disorienting to feel like he was suddenly in charge.

"I'll help you clean up, kid," Two-Bit volunteered.

"Thanks," Pony said.

As they washed the dishes Pony realized even Two-Bit had been pushed out of his comfort zone with all of this. That robber had taken more than just the money from the DX station. He had taken the normal lives of everyone in the gang as well. Pony just couldn't understand how someone could do that. As a family they had been desperate for money before… but even then he couldn't fathom taking away from others. It just didn't make any sense and that was probably the most frustrating part of this whole thing: the sheer senselessness of it. Soda always tried to do right by everyone and was always so full of life. He of all people didn't deserve this.

"He fell back asleep."

Pony was startled out of his thoughts as Steve came back into the kitchen.

"He was supposed to take his pain meds before going back to sleep," Pony said, feeling worried that he was already starting to fail at taking care of his brothers.

"Don't sweat it, kid, he took 'em," Steve said. He slumped down at the kitchen table and then glanced around. "Darry go to bed?"

"Yeah, just a few minutes ago," Pony said. "He's even gonna stay home and rest tomorrow."

Steve raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How'd you talk him into that?"

"I got a job!" Two-Bit announced proudly.

Steve stared at him blankly for several long seconds. "No, really," he said, obviously expecting a different answer.

"Really," Two-Bit said, feigning hurt. "Why does everyone seem so surprised?"

"Because you're eighteen years old and you ain't never worked a day in your life," Steve pointed out.

"Yeah, well I never had a reason to before," Two-Bit said with a shrug.

"How 'bout just to earn a livin?" Steve asked. Two-Bit answered with a derisive hiss and Steve rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna take off," Two-Bit said. "You need a ride, Steve?"

"Naw," Steve said. "I figure I'll just crash here since the kid's basically on his own tonight."

"Hey," Pony said, offended. "I think I can take care of them for one night, especially since they'll both just sleep all night."

Steve snorted. "Still," he said. "I'd hate to come back tomorrow to find you burned the house down."

"You haven't been home in a while," Two-Bit said slowly, looking at him carefully.

"Yeah, so?" Steve shot back immediately. "Not like my old man even notices."

Two-Bit gave him a doubtful look but didn't push the matter. Pony suddenly realized that maybe it wasn't that Steve didn't trust him to take care of his brothers for the night. Maybe he was avoiding his father. It would make a lot of sense. Pony suddenly realized that Steve hadn't spent one night at home since the day he had shown up with that mysterious bruise on his face.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then," Two-Bit said as he headed out of the kitchen. A minute later they heard the front door close and it was just Pony and Steve left.

The rest of the night was quiet. Pony worked on his homework at the kitchen table while Steve sat in the living room, watching TV with the volume turned down low. Pony secretly felt a little grateful that Steve had decided to stay. It would have been eerie to feel like he was the only one in the house. When Pony had finished with his homework he watched some TV with Steve before finally turning in and heading to bed. He climbed into bed carefully so as not to disturb Soda. Thankfully he remained fast asleep. As Pony lay down he studied him critically, looking for anything that seemed off. He reached out and very gently touched his hand to Soda's cheek, feeling relief as it seemed like his temperature was normal. Satisfied, Pony curled up next to his brother and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"_Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member…"_

_- Paul Pearshall_

As Soda slowly made his way back into consciousness he was aware of three things: it was still dark, Pony was curled up next to him sound asleep, and he had to pee. As carefully as he could he scooted away from his little brother, not wanting to wake him. He knew that both of his brothers needed to start getting some sleep after being up so much with him while he had been in the hospital and he didn't want Pony to start getting sick too.

Slowly and carefully he lifted himself out of bed, testing his own stability. Usually someone was around to help him if he had to get up, but he didn't want to wake anyone up just to help him to the bathroom in the middle of the night. It wasn't far anyway. After he felt steady enough he stumbled from the room as quietly as he could. As he reached the door he glanced back and was glad to see that Pony was still deep asleep.

Hanging onto the wall for stability Soda made his way down the hall to the bathroom. As he passed by Darry's door he heard some light coughing coming from within. He hoped that Darry would start feeling better soon. He hated being separated from his older brother.

He finally made it to the bathroom and flipped on the light, blinking hard against the sudden brightness, hardly aware of the dark spots that flashed across his vision. He was feeling worn already and just wanted to hurry up and get back to bed. As he took care of business he noticed he was swaying lightly and the ground under his feet didn't feel quite solid. He finished up and moved to the sink to wash his hands. He kept telling himself that he just needed to get back to bed and then he would feel better. He just wasn't used to being on his feet yet.

He turned to dry his hands, trying to hurry but the motion cause a sudden wave of dizziness to hit him hard. He stumbled and reached out and tried to grab hold of something but couldn't find anything. He knees gave way and he fell to the floor. He blinked as he looked around, not real sure what was happening to him right now. He leaned back, feeling the wall behind him and leaning against it heavily. He figured he'd just wait for the dizziness to pass before he tried getting up again. He put a hand to his head, which was throbbing dully. He took a breath and felt it hitch in his throat as he let out a dry cough. He groaned. All he wanted to do was get back to bed.

XxXxX

Steve was sprawled out on the Curtis' couch when he was woken out of his light sleep. He wasn't quite sure what had woken him at first until he heard a low groan come from down the hall. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and yawned, his mind sluggish to really comprehend what was going on just yet. He figured the noise had probably come from Darry's room; he had been hacking up a lung all night. He was about to brush off the sound and lay back down, but some part of him decided he would sleep better if he just checked on Soda real quick first.

He dragged himself to his feet as he started down the hall. However before he got to Pony and Soda's room he paused, noticing the bathroom door was closed and there was light shining from underneath it. He listened carefully, but didn't hear any noise coming from inside. That seemed odd. He reached up and knocked lightly. A moment later he heard a grunt of acknowledgement. It sounded like Soda.

"Soda?" Steve said, feeling concerned. He shouldn't be out of bed on his own. "You okay in there?" He heard a cough come from within and he felt his stomach drop as he swore to himself. He reached out and opened the door, blinking against the bright light. He quickly spotted Soda sitting on the floor, leaning up against the wall with his knees up and his hand resting on his head. "Soda?" he said.

Slowly Soda lifted his head, looking up at Steve with hazy eyes. "I don't feel good," he murmured.

Steve moved closer, kneeling down next to Soda. He reached out and placed his hand against Soda's forehead. "Shit, Soda, you're burning up," he said.

Soda looked distressed at this news. "I'm sick?" he said, sounding very young.

Steve sighed. "Yeah, you're sick," he said gently. Despite his calm tone he felt incredibly frustrated. Soda had only been home from the hospital for three days. They had all tried so hard to keep Soda healthy, but somehow he had gotten sick anyway. It was like nothing could ever just go their way. He wanted to scream and shout and pound the walls. But he knew that wouldn't help matters. He had to focus. "Hang tight, okay? I'll be right back."

Soda nodded and Steve was thankful that he at least seemed to know what was going on. That was a good sign that his fever wasn't too high. Not yet, at least. Steve stood and headed out of the room, hurrying to Soda and Pony's bedroom. Pony was still sound asleep and Steve quickly shook him awake.

"Huh?" Pony mumbled, looking around confused.

"Get up, Pony," Steve said.

"What's goin' on?" Pony mumbled sleepily. He slowly sat up and glanced around. "Where's Soda?"

"He's in the bathroom," Steve said. "He's burning up, I think he's got a fever."

Pony gasped, looking much more awake as he scrambled out of bed. "What do we do?" he asked quickly.

"You go check on him, take his temperature and see how high it is," Steve said. "I'm gonna go talk to Darry."

Pony hurried away as Steve turned and went to Darry's door. He felt bad waking him while he was sick, but he knew that Darry had to know what was going on. Thankfully they had already talked him into staying home tomorrow and he'd still be able to get plenty of rest. He knocked loudly and then waited. He hoped he wouldn't have to actually go into the room. Even though Soda was already sick, he didn't want to risk getting him any sicker. Thankfully after a minute he heard movement coming from inside and as the door opened Steve unconsciously took a step backward.

"Steve?" Darry mumbled sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"Soda's sick," Steve said bluntly.

Darry's eyes widened and he swore under his breath. He looked down the hall toward the bathroom that was spitting light into the dark hallway. "How bad?" he asked.

Steve shook his head. "I dunno," he admitted. "I just found him sitting on the floor in the bathroom and when I felt his head he was definitely warm. He was talkin' and seemed aware of what was goin' on though."

Darry nodded, taking a half step into the hallway, looking down toward the bathroom with concern. Clearly he wanted nothing more than to rush to his brother's side, and it pained him beyond words that he couldn't. A moment later Pony stepped into the hallway and Steve turned and walked down the hall, looking into the bathroom. Soda was still sitting on the floor but his eyes were open and still seemed somewhat aware as he looked up at him.

"His temperature is 99.5," Pony said, looking back and forth between Steve and Darry.

"Well that's not too bad," Darry said slowly.

"Darry?" Soda called tiredly.

Darry took a small step closer to the bathroom so he could just see Soda where he sat on the floor of the bathroom. "I'm right here, little buddy," he called down the hall.

"I don't feel good," Soda said. Then he coughed dryly.

Darry sighed. He leaned back against the wall and covered his mouth as he coughed as well. Then he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor, looking miserable. "Yeah, I know," he said. "What doesn't feel good, kiddo?"

"My head and my throat hurt," Soda rasped. "And I felt dizzy."

"Should we take him to the hospital?" Pony asked carefully looking over at Darry where he sat slouched on the floor.

"I've got my car outside," Steve spoke up.

Darry sighed heavily as he rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. He brought one knee up and rested his arm on it while his other leg stretched out. Steve was staring at him in disbelief. How could Darry be hesitating with this decision? It seemed like a no brainer to him.

"Darry?" Pony prompted, looking at him unsurely.

"We don't have the money," came a small voice from behind them. They all turned to look at Soda.

"That's not important right now," Steve insisted. "We'll figure out the money later. Right Darry?"

There was a ringing silence in the house following the question. Steve glared at Darry, feeling anger bubbling up inside him. Why was he hesitating? Why weren't they springing to action and taking Soda to the hospital?

"If we rush him to the hospital for every little thing, we're not gonna make it," Darry finally said quietly.

"You wanna wait for him to get _worse_?" Steve demanded angrily. "You wanna wait for him to be in critical condition again before you help him? When he has to be hooked up to all kinds of machines and has to fight for his _life_?"

Darry glared sharply back at Steve. "You think I _like_ this?" he shot back loudly. "You think I _like_ not being able to afford medical care for my little brother? I hate it! I hate watching him suffer! I hate not even being able to go near him right now! But we have to be practical, or else we'll lose both him and Pony when the state comes and takes them away because I'm in too much debt!"

Darry seemed like he was about to say something else but he was cut off by a coughing fit. He buried his face in the crook of his arm and turned away slightly. Steve was at a loss for words, so he just stared. He still didn't like the situation, but he knew that Darry did have a very good point. Pony glanced at Steve before heading down the hallway and disappearing into the kitchen. A minute later he returned with a glass of water. He carefully approached Darry after he had stopped coughing and wordlessly offered him the glass.

"Thanks, Pony," Darry rasped, taking the glass. Everyone was quiet as he took a few sips. "We'll wait and keep an eye on his temperature," he finally said, not looking up. "If it continues to climb and gets much over 100, then we'll take him to the hospital."

Pony nodded. Steve was still fuming, but he knew better than to push the issue. Some part of him knew that Darry was right, even if he didn't want to really admit it. He just felt so helpless. He turned back to look at Soda, who had been quiet during the entire exchange.

"It'll be okay," Soda assured him as he met his eyes.

Steve snorted at the fact that right now _Soda_ of all people was comforting _him_, when in all fairness it should be the other way around.

"We can stay up with him if you wanna go back to bed," Pony said to Darry. Then he shot a glance at Steve, as if realized that he had just spoken for him. "Well, I can stay up with him…" he quickly corrected.

"I'll stay up too," Steve said. No way was he going to leave Soda's side right now.

Darry slowly shook his head. "Thanks Pony, but I'll stay up," he said.

"You should really go back to bed, Darry," Soda said.

"I wouldn't be able to fall asleep anyway," Darry insisted. "Sorry, little buddy, but you're stuck with your mean older brother." He said the last part with a dry sarcasm.

"Don't say that, Darry," Soda said earnestly. He let out a small cough. "Like you said, my fever ain't too bad. I don't even really feel that bad either." As if to prove that he was exaggerating he let out a more aggressive cough.

"Give him something for his cough," Darry said tiredly. "There should be some Robitussin up in the cabinet. It should help with his fever too."

Pony moved back into the bathroom and got the medicine from the cabinet, carefully measuring out a dose and handing it down to Soda, who downed it without complaint.

"C'mon Soda," Steve said, crouching down next to him. "Let's get you back to bed so you can get some rest."

Soda put an arm over Steve's shoulders and Steve slowly hoisted him up to his feet, not missing the way Soda's face pinched up in pain at the motion. Soda leaned on him heavily as they made their way out into the hallway. As they passed by Darry still sitting on the floor Soda glanced down at him.

"Darry, please don't stay up all night 'cause of me," he said, a note of pleading in his voice.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," Darry said as he watched as Steve led Soda back into his room. From where he sat he could still see into the room as Soda climbed back into bed.

"No, you need your rest too," Soda insisted as he coughed again.

"Don't make me lock you in your room," Steve spoke up a bit sharply. He was still angry with Darry and he wasn't doing any good just sitting in the hallway watching them anyway. Not that he was going to point that out. He didn't need to piss Darry off any more than he already had.

Darry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, still hesitating.

"Please, Darry?" Soda pleaded. "I don't like that you can't come near me either, so you gotta get better."

As Darry looked at him his icy eyes melted just for a moment and the pain behind them was evident. "Yeah, okay," he finally said. Slowly he heaved himself back to his feet before looking from Pony to Steve. "Someone should probably keep checkin' his temperature to make sure it doesn't go up too much. And maybe get him some cool facecloths, that could help bring down his fever."

"Yeah, yeah, we got this," Steve said stiffly. "Go to bed."

Darry nodded, though he didn't look very happy about it. Reluctantly he turned and walked back into his room, closing the door gently behind him.

"You shouldn't be so mean to him," Pony said carefully as he helped Soda get settled back in bed. "He's doing the best that he can."

"Pony's right," Soda agreed, looking up at him with tired eyes.

Steve sighed, avoiding looking at either of the brothers. He certainly didn't feel good about making Darry feel bad. He hadn't meant to, it had just kind of popped out. "I'll go get a cool facecloth," he said, ducking back out of the room.

By the time he got back, Soda was already drifting back to sleep. When Steve placed the facecloth on his forehead he mumbled his thanks as his eyes fluttered closed.

Pony and Steve both settled themselves in for yet another long night. Soda seemed to rest pretty comfortably, with only his light coughing disturbing the peace. They reluctantly prodded Soda into a semi-conscious state every half hour or so to take his temperature. It climbed a bit but thankfully stayed just under 100.

It was hours later and Steve was fighting hard to stay awake.

"If it were really bad, Darry would have taken him right to the hospital," Pony said suddenly out of nowhere.

Steve looked at him blankly for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden comment after hours of mostly silence. After a minute his mind seemed to catch up with Pony's train of thought. He knew that Pony and Darry had a rocky relationship in the past since their parents passed away, even though they had been doing better lately with getting along. Pony was struggling with his image of his older brother and desperately wanted him to be doing the right thing.

Steve sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes. He didn't want to be the one to start another feud between Pony and Darry, if for no other reason than for Soda's sake since he was always stuck in the middle. "Yeah, I'm sure he would have," he agreed truthfully. "I just wasn't thinkin' ahead like Darry was."

Pony nodded, looking back at Soda. "He didn't hesitate when I needed a doctor a few months ago," he said quietly. "He even took some time off work. I think the money's tighter now than it was before."

Steve glanced at him and then nodded. "He had Soda's paycheck too when you were sick," he pointed out. "Even with my paycheck, I'm only part time. I don't work nearly as much as Soda does."

"Yeah," Pony said nodding. Then he looked up at Steve. "Do you think me and Soda would really get taken away? You know, if Darry can't pay the bills."

Steve sighed. He really didn't want to talk about this right now. He didn't know how to comfort Pony. "I dunno," he said shortly with a shrug.

"But if we did get taken away… what would happen to Soda?" Pony said worriedly. "I mean… if he's stuck in a boys home… what if he gets sick?"

Steve rubbed his eyes tiredly. Pony must be really desperate if he was talking to Steve of all people about this. "We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," he said flatly without much hope. Pessimistically he thought that since everything else had seemed to go wrong he really wouldn't be surprised if this went wrong as well, as much as he didn't want to see Soda taken away. But what could they do? Nothing they did ever seemed to matter.

After that they lapsed back into silence. They were concerned the next time they woke Soda to find that his temperature had gone up to just over 100.

"Should we take him to the hospital?" Pony asked as Soda immediately drifted back to sleep. He was looking up at Steve for answers, the way he would have looked to Darry for answers. Steve groaned lightly to himself as he put his head in his hands. He was no Darry.

He took a deep breath. "If it gets to 101, then we'll take him," he said as steadily as he could, hoping it was the right decision. He didn't like feeling like he was in charge right now it was too much pressure. That was always Darry's job.

Pony quietly nodded, looking down at Soda with concern. He reached out and carefully brushed Soda's hair off his face. "It'll be okay, Soda," he said softly.

_Yeah, I sure hope so…_ Steve thought miserably to himself.


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: Over 200 reviews! Wow you guys are awesome! I keep coming up with more and more ideas for this story, so strap in because there is much more to come. This chapter is a little slower, more of a filler, but things are going to pick up again in the next chapter. *hint hint, wink wink, keep reading* Please continue to review each chapter, all your reviews are very motivating!

Also, random question… do you guys like the lyrics/quotes that I put at the beginning of each chapter? I'll continue to put them in cause I enjoy them, but I was just wondering what you guys think.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_In these times of doing what you're told  
Keep these feelings, no one knows  
What ever happened to the young man's heart  
Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart_

_And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45,_  
_I'm swimming through the ashes of another life_  
_There's no real reason to accept the way things have changed_  
_Staring down the barrel of a 45_

_- Shinedown (45)_

Pony shifted a bit, much slower the come back to consciousness than usual. He felt confused. What time was it? As he blinked quickly once he could see that there was sunlight peeking in through the blinds on the window. He had the sense that it was late in the morning, which was strange, shouldn't he be in school? Why hadn't Darry woken him?

He rolled over as he struggled to wake up, blinking more rapidly. He spotted Soda laying next to him, fast asleep, which was perfectly normal. He must not have to work this morning. Then he spotted Steve sitting in his desk chair next to the bed, watching over Soda. That was odd. Then very suddenly all the events of the night before came rushing back to him. He sat up, quickly rubbing sleep from his eyes. He couldn't believe that he had fallen asleep.

"How is he?" he asked quickly in a low voice so as not to disturb his brother.

Steve looked over at him and gave a rare smile. "He's better," he said. "I gave him another dose of Robitussin and his fever dropped back down to just under 100 last time I checked. He's been resting pretty peacefully for a while now."

Pony smiled down at Soda, feeling relief wash over him. He carefully reached down and gently touched Soda' forehead, feeling for himself that he wasn't as hot as the night before. Soda shifted slightly at the touch, but continued sleeping.

"What time is it?" Pony asked curiously as he dropped his hand back down.

Steve glanced at his watch. "Almost half past ten," he said.

"Guess I'm not going to school today," he said.

"I think Darry'll understand under the circumstances," Steve said.

"I hope so," Pony said with a sigh. He really wasn't up for another one of Darry's lectures about the importance of school again. "You think he's up yet?"

"I haven't heard anything," Steve said with a shake of his head.

Pony nodded and slowly climbed out of bed, stretching slightly as he did. He quietly headed out of the room, figuring that he might as well start on breakfast. As he walked down the hallway he saw that Darry's door was still closed and it was quiet within. Pony hoped that Darry had managed to get some rest. He knew his brother desperately needed it.

In the kitchen he began preparing some plain scrambled eggs for both of his sick brothers. Then he made a few hardboiled eggs for himself and then some bacon for both him and Steve, figuring Steve could also pick at the scrambled eggs if he wanted to.

"'Morning, Pony."

Pony whipped around, startled by the sudden intrusion. He was surprised to see Darry making his way into the kitchen, still dressed in his pajamas though not looking quite as worn as the night before.

"Hey, Darry," he said, watching as Darry sat down heavily at the kitchen table. "I didn't wake you, did I? I was tryin' to be quiet."

"No, you didn't," Darry assured him.

"Are you feelin' any better?" he asked as he set a plate of eggs in front of him.

Darry gave him a strained smile. "Thanks," he said. "Yeah, I feel a little better." He paused. "What about Soda?"

"He's doin' better," Pony told him. "His fever went up, but it came back down this morning and he hasn't been coughing as much."

Darry nodded. "Good," he said, sounding relieved. He looked up at Pony. "Did you manage to get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah, I fell asleep a few hours ago I guess," he said. "I think Steve was up the whole night though."

Darry sighed. "He's gonna have to go back to school eventually," he said, mostly to himself.

"He's only missed two days," Pony pointed out.

Darry only nodded as he picked at his breakfast. Pony sat down and began picking at his breakfast as well. It was a few minutes later when they heard a door down the hall open and then close again. A moment later Steve appeared in the kitchen.

"Soda okay?" Pony immediately asked.

"Yeah, he's still sleeping," Steve said.

Pony nodded, feeling relieved. "I made extra eggs," he told him, indicating the eggs on the stove. "And some bacon too."

"That's okay," Steve said.

Darry sighed. "You can't stay here day and night and not eat," he pointed out tiredly. "Please, eat something."

Steve looked at him for a moment, as if contemplating protesting. Then he seemed to think better of it as he moved to the stove and spooned a small portion of eggs onto a plate. Then he walked over to the table and joined the two brothers.

"Thanks for stayin', Steve," Darry said slowly, looking over at Steve. He spoke carefully, obviously unsure if Steve was still angry with him.

Steve sighed. "Yeah, of course," he said. He paused as he studied his food for a minute, then he looked back up. "I… I'm sorry about what I said last night, Darry."

Darry looked a little relieved about the apology. Obviously what Steve had said had bothered him a lot. "It's okay," he said.

But Steve shook his head. "No, it's not okay," he insisted. "I just… it's hard watching him suffer like this."

"Yeah, it's hard on all of us," Pony pointed out.

Steve glanced at him, and then let his gaze fall back to his plate as he pushed the eggs around without much interest.

"I know this whole thing's been hard on you," Darry said slowly.

"I thought he was gonna die," Steve said quietly without looking up. Pony gave a start at this statement. "At the DX… after he'd been shot… I really thought he was gonna die. There was just so much blood comin' out of him. He was white as a sheet and it was like he was just barely there and his eyes wouldn't really focus on me. He was holdin' onto me, but I could feel his grip gettin' weaker by the minute. I really didn't think he was gonna make it… and I felt like I should do somethin' but I didn't know what to do so I just sat there and tried to talk to him but I felt so useless." He paused. When he spoke again his voice was barely audible, little more than a whisper. "I thought he was gonna die… just like Dally."

Pony could only stare. He had almost forgotten that Steve had been through all of that with Soda. For the rest of them this nightmare had started when they had gotten a call from the hospital, which at least had given them a sense that Soda was still alive. But for Steve this had all started the moment that the trigger of the gun had been pulled.

Pony remembered the night Dally had been killed, even though it was still very painful to think about. He remembered how Steve had cried out and Soda had to hold him back from running to their fallen friend. They were all devastated from what they had witnessed and Steve had been no exception. Steve wasn't as unfeeling or aloof as he liked to come off. He felt just as much as the rest of them did. Seeing his best friend almost bleed to death while he could only sit back and watch must have torn him up something awful.

"I never wanted to see him suffer like that again," Steve went on after a few minutes of silence. "And then just a few days later he gets real sick…"

It suddenly became very clear how Steve had lost his temper so easily the night before. He just didn't want to feel helpless anymore. He wanted to be able to help his best friend and he didn't want to see him suffer any more after everything they had both been through the last two weeks. That wasn't so difficult to understand.

"It's okay, Steve," Darry said gently. "I get it. I know how hard it was on you to be there when… it happened. But I'm so glad you were there. You'd do anything for Soda. Soda had one of his brothers there with him. We can be grateful for that if nothing else."

Steve nodded, but he looked a bit shaken at reliving the event.

"I'm gonna go check on Soda," he said, obviously simply looking for an excuse to leave the table. He moved to the stove to grab some eggs for Soda before heading out of kitchen.

As Pony watched him retreat back down the hallway he couldn't help but think that the shooting had scarred Steve almost as much as it had scarred Soda. He looked over at Darry who had finished his breakfast.

"You should probably go back to bed," he suggested slowly.

Darry looked at him and then smiled tiredly. "Yeah, live it up while you can, little man," he said and he dragged himself to his feet, obviously referring to the fact that Pony was giving him orders.

Pony smiled back at him. "Well, you gotta get better. I can't be in charge for too long, I don't use my head."

Darry laughed lightly. "Yeah you do, kiddo," he said, a hint of seriousness in his voice. He looked down at Pony. "Thanks for steppin' up Pony," he said.

Pony looked at Darry for a moment, taken aback. Darry didn't really every compliment him like that. "Yeah, of course, Darry," he said slowly, smiling despite himself. "You don't have to do everything on your own, you know."

Darry laughed lightly. "Yeah, I know, kiddo," he said. "Thanks." He turned and headed back down the hallway to his room, closing the door lightly behind him.

Pony gathered up the plates and began cleaning up. After the dishes were washed he went into the living room and began digging through his backpack. Even though he wasn't in school today he still felt like he should do some studying. He didn't want to let Darry down by falling behind in school especially since he hadn't given him a hard time about not being in school today.

As Pony was pulling out his textbooks and setting them on the coffee table in the living room he was surprised when the front door suddenly opened. He looked up to see Two-Bit stepping inside.

"Hey, Two-Bit," he said surprised. He figured Two-Bit would be in school today and wasn't sure why he was suddenly at their house. Though as he glanced at the clock he realized that he was probably on lunch break. "What are you doin' here?"

"You and Steve didn't show up at school today," he said, a hint of worry in his features. "It's one thing for Steve to miss school… but if Darry let you miss school too… I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Yeah, we had a small scare last night," Pony admitted. "Soda woke up in the middle of the night with a small fever. Luckily it wasn't too high and it came back down this morning. He's doin' better now."

"Did you guys take him to the hospital?" Two-Bit asked, still looking concerned.

Pony shook his head. "Darry said… Darry said that if we took him to the hospital for every little thing… we wouldn't make it," he said reluctantly. "You know, with the bills and everything. So we just kept a close eye on him to make sure his fever didn't go up too much."

Two-Bit nodded and Pony was grateful that he didn't have the same reaction that Steve had the night before. He understood.

"Did Darry still manage to get some rest last night?" Two-Bit asked.

"Yeah, he was up for a little while when we first found out about Soda's fever, but we convinced him to go back to bed," he explained. "He got up a little while ago and had some breakfast and then just went back to bed."

Two-Bit nodded. "Good deal," he said. "Darry won't get better if he don't look after himself."

"Yeah," Pony agreed.

Two-Bit moved over to the TV and flicked it on, turning the volume down low before moving back and making himself comfortable on the couch. Pony looked at him and cocked and eyebrow.

"Ain't you goin' back to school?" he asked.

"Shoot kid, if no one else is at school today, why should I be?" he said as he put his feet up on the coffee table.

Pony rolled his eyes, but didn't push the subject. He knew he could technically go to school now and make most of his classes, but he really wasn't feeling up to it. Even though Soda was doing better he still wanted to be around in case anything else happened. Instead he made himself comfortable on the couch next to Two-Bit and opened his history textbook. Two-Bit looked over at him and cocked an eyebrow.

"Golly, you can't even cut school right," he said. "You ain't supposed to be studying when you don't even go to school."

Pony laughed lightly. "I don't wanna fall behind," he said.

"Darry's got you brain washed," Two-Bit said.

Pony just shrugged as he focused down on his textbook. He knew that Two-Bit was just joking, but he did want to make Darry proud. So much had gone wrong in the last year; it would be nice if something finally went right, like him going to college in a few years like everyone wanted him to. So as Two-Bit watched a game show on TV Pony did his best to read over the next chapter in his textbook as he hoped for a quiet day. Things had to get better for them… didn't it?


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking  
When you fall everyone stands  
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking  
With the life held in your  
Hands are shaking cold  
These hands are meant to hold_

_Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong_  
_Move along, move along like I know you do_  
_And even when your hope is gone_  
_Move along, move along just to make it through_

_- All American Rejcts (Move Along)_

* * *

Everyone was hugely relieved to see that Soda's fever continued to drop and by Wednesday afternoon it was back to normal. It was a lucky break that whatever bug Soda had managed to catch it wasn't big enough to cause him too many problems. They could only hope that their luck would hold out.

Darry also showed improvement after resting for the day. He was much better on Wednesday and was able to return to work. Steve stayed home with Soda again that day, but neither Darry nor Soda would hear of it for a fourth day in a row. So Thursday they all had the difficult task of leaving Soda home alone for the first time since he came home from the hospital. Soda kept on insisting that he would be fine, that he would likely just sleep for most of the day, but they still worried. Darry insisted on Soda spending the day on the couch rather than his bed so that he would be able to easily reach the phone in case anything went wrong. They also made sure to have food and water on the coffee table for him so the only time he would need to get up would be to use the bathroom. Steve, Two-Bit and Pony came home at lunchtime to check on him and Darry called him throughout the day. All and all, though, things seemed to be evening out.

Darry was home at a reasonable time Thursday night, comforted by the fact that Two-Bit was heading in for his second night of bartending. As much as he hated taking money from his friends he had to admit that it did take some pressure off of him. And he didn't want to risk working himself too much again. He needed to stay healthy and he also wanted to be around to help Soda while he continued to recover.

As Darry entered the house he found that Steve and Pony had already helped Soda back to his bed, as the couch was empty. Pony and Steve were both in the kitchen, Steve apparently helping Pony out with making dinner. It was good to see them getting along for once.

"Hey Darry," Pony said with a smile. Darry noticed that Pony's mood had improved greatly as Soda's condition improved.

"Hey kiddo," Darry said. "How did things go today?"

There was never any need to clarify what he was talking about. It was second nature by now to immediately ask about Soda.

"Good," Pony said. "We played some cards with him when we got home and then he was hungry so we already got him some dinner then we helped him to bed."

Darry nodded. "Good," he said. They were definitely starting to fall into a routine with taking care of Soda.

The three were just beginning to set the table when there was a knock at the door. Everyone froze. Both Steve and Pony looked over at Darry in confusion and Darry sighed to himself, his stomach dropping. He had a pretty good idea who was at the door. He had been expecting this call for days now and he was actually kind of surprised that it had taken this long. But he still didn't feel ready to deal with it. He knew he had no choice though.

With an effort Darry moved from the kitchen and went to the front door. As he opened it he found exactly what he had expected to find.

"Hello, Ms. Walters," Darry greeted.

Deborah Walters had been the Curtis' social worker for the past year, ever since their parents had passed and Darry had petitioned the state for custody of his brothers. She was in her late thirties with curly black hair and dark eyes. She was a small woman who only came up to Darry's shoulders in her high heels. As far as social workers went Darry always figured they could have done worse though. Ms. Walters was usually pretty understanding when it came to their situation even though she made it clear that she wouldn't hesitate to move Pony and Soda if she felt like it was necessary. So far the majority of her visits had been fairly pleasant, the exception of course being when Pony had run away some months ago. Darry had a feeling they were about to have another exception to their trend of pleasant visits.

"Hello, Darrel," Ms. Walters returned. She smiled up at him but her smile was a bit strained. Clearly this wasn't a usual checkup. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, sure," Darry said, trying his best to sound at ease, though every muscle in his body was suddenly tense. He stood back and allowed her to enter his home. Closing the door carefully behind her, he turned and saw both Pony and Steve standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Steve looked tense while Pony looked worried as they watched the scene.

"I'm sure you know why I am here," Ms. Walters said seriously as she turned back to Darry.

Darry nodded as he self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I can take a guess," he said a bit flatly.

Ms. Walters nodded seriously. "How is Sodapop doing?"

Of course their social worker would already know all about what happened from the police report. Darry took a deep breath. He was incredibly nervous for this interview. "He's doin' a lot better," he said, trying to sound confident. "He's still real tired but he's gettin' a lot of rest. He's got a doctor's appointment tomorrow to see how his recovery is goin'."

Ms. Walters nodded. "And… how is the money holding up?" she asked. "I understand Sodapop won't be in any condition to work for a while."

"It's fine," Darry said, trying to sound convicted. "I mean… it'll be a little tighter than usual, but we'll get by."

Ms. Walters gave Darry a look that told him that she wasn't convinced. "Would you mind if I spoke to Sodapop?" she asked.

"Yeah, that'd be alright," Darry said. He didn't really like the idea of waking Soda up right now, but he felt like denying the social worker of anything that she wanted right now wouldn't work in their favor. They needed her to be on their side.

With a glance over at Steve and Pony, whose facial expressions were far from comforting, Darry turned and led Ms. Walters to Pony and Soda's room. He knocked lightly on the door before slowly opening it. The room was darkened as usual and Darry could just make out Soda's form curled up under the covers, sleeping peacefully. Ms. Walters hovered in the doorway while Darry approached the bed, crouching down next to it to be more on Soda's level.

"Hey, Soda," Darry said gently, touching a hand to Soda's shoulder. It was the first time he had been near Soda since getting sick the other day, but he had felt fine today so he hoped that he wasn't still contagious. "Sodapop, wake up."

Soda moaned lightly as he rolled over and then blinked up at Darry. As he focused on him he smiled lightly. "Hey Darry," he mumbled, clearly happy to see him. They hadn't seen much of each other in days, which had been hard on both of them.

"Hey, little buddy," he said. "Do you feel up with talking to someone?"

Soda looked confused. "Talkin' to who?" he asked.

"Ms. Walters is here," he said gently. "She wants to talk to you for a minute." Soda's expression immediately turned from confusion to worry. He looked over and spotted Ms. Walters standing in the doorway, watching the scene carefully. Then he looked back at Darry. "It's okay," he tried to assure him, even though he didn't fully believe it himself.

"Yeah, okay," Soda finally consented.

Darry reached over and turned the lamp on next to the bed and Soda blinked hard against the sudden light. He shifted around and then pushed himself up slightly so that he was laying higher up on the pillow. He still had a hard time sitting up on his own. Darry gave his arm a reassuring pat as he reluctantly stood up and moved away from the bed.

As Ms. Walters approached she smiled warmly down at Soda. "Hello, Sodapop," she said as she grabbed Pony's desk chair and pulled it up to the bed, making herself comfortable. She pulled a few files out of her briefcase. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better," Soda said, his expression guarded.

"Would you like Darrel to stay here for this, or would you rather it just be the two of us?" she asked.

"I want Darry to stay," Soda said immediately. Darry was grateful that she had given him the option. Every so often Ms. Walters would insist on talking with Soda or Pony alone. It never really bothered him before because he knew that his brothers didn't want to go away any more than Darry wanted to send them away. Even when they didn't get along real well they still stuck together. But today Darry didn't want to be far from Soda just in case being questioned started to upset him. He vividly remembered how Soda had reacted after being questioned by the police in the hospital. He hoped that this would go smoother and not be as stressful.

"Very well," Ms. Walters agreed. "I'll try and make this quick so that you can get some more rest." Soda simply nodded. "I understand that you were in the hospital for about a week and a half."

"That's right," Soda confirmed, even though Darry knew that he didn't remember most of the time he had been there.

Ms. Walters flipped through a few pages in her file. "This was after you developed a very serious infection," she said. "All this considered it seems like an awfully short time to be in the hospital. How have you felt since being home?"

"I've been doing good," Soda said. "I mean, I ain't gonna be runnin' any marathons any time soon, but I've been feelin' a lot better than I was. The doctor said it was okay for me to go home."

Ms. Walters nodded as she made a note on one of her papers. That was mostly true. Darry had a conversation with the doctor in private before Soda was released. The doctor had explained that normally for a patient in Soda's condition he would be in the hospital for another week, but it would mostly be for observation and to make sure he was getting plenty of rest. But Dr. Evans had agreed to discharge Soda early to save them from the financial burden… or at least more of a burden than they were already going to have to face.

"What kind of care has Darrel been providing since you've been home?" Ms. Walters asked.

"Darry's been great," Soda said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, which wasn't a whole lot. "He's always checkin' in on me and he helps change my bandages so I don't get another infection and he makes sure I eat and drink enough and get my pain meds." Soda looked up at him and Darry gave him a strained smile, grateful that Soda was so determined to make him sound like Superman even though in reality Darry hadn't been able to do much for him in the past couple days. Ms. Walters certainly didn't need to know that he had been sick though.

"What about this week while you've been home?" Ms. Walters asked. "I assume Darrel has been at work all day. Have you been home alone these past few days?"

Soda faltered slightly. "No, my friend Steve has been stayin' with me during the day," he said. This was true for every day but today.

Ms. Walters paused. She knew all about the Curtis' friends, she had run into them at one point or another when she made surprise visits. "Isn't Steve still in school?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," Soda said, his voice falling slightly.

"Is he planning on going back to school?" she asked.

"Yeah, he probably is," he said slowly. "But it's okay. I don't need anybody to sit with me while I sleep all day."

Ms. Walters nodded but she was frowning as she made another note on her file. Darry felt his stomach sinking. When she looked back at Soda she gave him another smile. "Thank you Sodapop," she said as she gathered up her things and put them back in her briefcase. "Now you get some rest."

"Okay," Soda said. He sounded exhausted.

As Ms. Walters got up Darry approached the bed, placing a comforting hand on Soda's shoulder. "I'll send Pony and Steve in, okay?" he said, knowing Soda wouldn't want to be alone right now. Soda nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He turned and followed Ms. Walters out of the room. As she headed for the living room Darry went to the kitchen where Pony and Steve were sitting around the kitchen table, dinner untouched in front of them. It was probably getting cold.

"How'd it go?" Pony asked immediately.

"It went fine," Darry said as calmly as he could. "I'm gonna talk with Ms. Walters for a minute, could you guys go sit with Soda?"

"Yeah, sure," Pony said as he got up and hurried down the hall.

"Everything okay?" Steve asked slowly as he stood up, looking at Darry carefully.

Darry sighed. "I hope so," he muttered.

Steve nodded as he shoved his hands in his pocket before following Pony down the hall. Darry waited until he heard the door shut before heading out into the living room. Ms. Walters had settled herself in the recliner and was waiting patiently for him to join her. Darry had a heavy feeling in his gut as he moved to sit on the couch.

"I'm so sorry that this happened to Sodapop," Ms. Walters started, looking regretful.

Darry nodded. "Yeah, me too," he said. "But we're getting through it."

"How are you planning on compensating for Sodapop's paycheck in the coming weeks?" Ms. Walters asked.

Darry sighed. He had to tell her something. "A few of our friends are pitchin' in," he said honestly.

"Is that going to be enough?" she asked seriously.

Darry nodded, even though he wasn't so sure. "It'll help tide us over until Soda can get back to work."

"But you don't want to rush his recovery," Ms. Walters pointed out.

"No, of course not," Darry said quickly. "He won't go back to work until he's ready to."

"What about Ponyboy?" she asked. "Will you have him get a job?"

Darry shook his head, knowing what she wanted to hear. "Pony is gonna stay in school," he said firmly. She certainly hadn't been thrilled when Soda had dropped out of school just after their parents had passed away, but he had assured her over and over that Ponyboy was going to graduate.

"Good," Ms. Walters said. She folded her hands in her lap and leaned forward slightly, looking at Darry seriously. "You know, Darrel, this is a very difficult situation for anyone to deal with, let alone someone in your position."

"We'll make it work," Darry said.

"But is that what's best for your brothers?" she pointed out slowly as she studied him. She had a way of making him feel so self-conscious and Darry shifted nervously. Most days he felt older than he actually was. Today suddenly he felt younger. Too young. "Can you really provide the best care for Sodapop in his current condition? If you allowed the state to take over we would take over all expenses as well. That would include any medication and any future doctor visits. You wouldn't have to pay for any of it."

Darry shook his head. "You can't take Soda away from us," he said, a note of pleading in his voice. "Not now. The doctor said that his immune system was weakened because of the infection. If he gets sick, even just a minor cold, he could have major complications. You can't tell me that stickin' him in a crowded boys home with a bunch of kids and teenagers who don't care about hygiene is gonna be better for Soda than being home with us."

"We would take into account his condition and take special precautions to keep him healthy," Ms. Walters said calmly. "I promise you, we would take good care of Sodapop and Ponyboy too."

Darry sighed heavily and ran a hand tiredly over his face. "Look, I know this isn't the best situation," he said slowly. "But I would do _anything_ for my brothers."

"I have never questioned how much you care about your brothers, Darrel," Ms. Walters said evenly, meeting his eyes. "But if you really would do anything for them, would you let them go if that was truly what was best for them? I know that you are a good guardian but the question remains is this situation beyond what you are able to handle financially?"

Darry just stared for a minute, unsure how to respond to that. The idea that Soda and Pony might actually be better off somewhere else had never even crossed his mind. Was he just being selfish trying so hard to keep them here with him when they might be better taken care of somewhere else? Was it really right to leave Soda home alone all day so soon after getting out of the hospital? All of a sudden he was questioning everything. He was definitely shaken. Ms. Walters had never pushed this much for him to reconsider his guardianship of his brothers before.

Finally after a few minutes of silence Darry slowly shook his head. "We'll make this work," he said stubbornly.

Ms. Walters nodded, not looking surprised. "I have no reason to take any action right now," she said. "But I will be back in the next week or two to make sure things are still going okay and that both Sodapop and Ponyboy are being taken care of properly."

Darry nodded. "Okay," he said, a hint of determination in his voice.

Ms. Walters stood, gathering up her briefcase. "Good luck, Darrel," she said. "Don't hesitate to call us at any time if you change your mind. I'll see myself out."

Darry watched as she turned and walked out, closing the door gently behind her. He didn't move as he listened to her car start up outside and then slowly drive away. If possible he felt even heavier than before he had that conversation. What if he wasn't doing the right thing? He buried his head in his hands for a moment, but he knew he couldn't just sit there. Pony, Steve and Soda would all be waiting anxiously to hear how things went.

With a great deal of effort Darry dragged himself to his feet and headed down the hall. He didn't bother knocking; instead he simply entered his brothers' bedroom. Steve was sitting in the chair next to Soda's bed that Ms. Walters had occupied, Pony was perched on the edge of the bed, and Soda was propped up on his pillows. They all looked at him expectantly as he entered the room.

"Well?" Steve asked impatiently.

"Well what?" Darry said as casually as he could. "She said that everything was fine and that she would be back to check on us again in a few weeks."

"That's really what she said?" Soda asked skeptically.

"Yep, that's what she said," Darry said. He supposed that this had been an evening of half-truths. Just like they had told their social worker what she wanted to hear, he was now telling his brothers what they wanted to hear. None of it was outright lies. It just wasn't the whole truth. "C'mon, we gotta reheat dinner."

Steve and Pony both got up and began to leave.

"Hey Darry?" Soda said. Everyone stopped.

"Yeah, little buddy?" Darry said.

"Can I come out and sit with you guys while you eat?" he asked.

Darry smiled at him. After that whole ordeal it made sense that Soda wouldn't want to be separated from everyone, even if he didn't realize how close they were to losing each other. "Sure, Soda," he said easily. "We'll eat in the living room though. I don't think the kitchen chairs will be too comfortable for you just yet."

"Okay," Soda agreed.

"Pony, could you start reheating dinner while I help Soda?" Darry asked.

"Sure," Pony said. He turned and headed from the room. Steve followed him, presumably to help.

Soda slowly pushed himself up in bed and then moved his legs around to fall to the floor. Darry reached down and helped Soda slowly stand and he was relieved to see that he didn't wince much at the movement. As they moved from the room Soda walked mostly on his own though he took it slow and Darry stayed close to him just in case. But it was very encouraging to see Soda able to move around on his own even if he looked a bit unsteady. Maybe everything would be okay after all. Clearly Soda was getting better.

Soda needed help lowering himself down onto the couch but after Darry helped him he seemed to rest comfortably. Pony and Steve brought dinner out and set it up on the coffee table. They all talked easily about anything but the visit they had just gotten as they ate, and Soda even ate a little more. Darry was glad to see his appetite was normal since he had lost probably around twenty pounds since being sick and he had already been skinny to begin with.

As they finished eating Darry glanced over to see that Soda was dozing off again. Darry put his plate down on the coffee table and reached over and nudged Soda.

"C'mon, Soda, time for bed," he said.

"Hm," Soda hummed.

With a little more promting Darry managed to get Soda to his feet, though he was leaning on Darry heavily. They made their way down the hall and Soda slowly climbed back into bed.

"Thanks, Darry," Soda mumbled as he drifted back to sleep.

"Good night, little buddy," Darry said.

He stood there for a moment and just watched Soda sleep. He couldn't help but think back to the conversation that he had with the social worker earlier that night. Could he really handle this? Was he able to take care of his brothers with everything that had happened to them? Or was this too much for a twenty-one year old to handle?

Darry sighed to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. One way or another they'd find out.


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Thank so much for all your support with this story! It's really awesome. This chapter is a little slower than some of the others, I've got to get some filler stuff in, but things are going to pick up again soon, I promise! Stick with me! :)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

_And all at once the crowd begins to sing  
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same_

_- The Fray (All at Once)_

The next day Darry went into work early so that he could take a longer lunch break in order to get Soda to his doctor's appointment and not lose out with his paycheck. Pony wanted to come along too, but Darry didn't want him missing any more school since he already missed a day that week and thankfully Soda agreed with him.

As Darry walked into the house he found that Soda was fast asleep on the couch, covered with a blanket and with the TV tuned to a channel with cartoons. It reminded Darry so much of when Soda would get sick when he was younger. Way back when Darry wasn't the one in charge. He walked over to the TV and snapped it off before moving over to the couch and kneeling down next to it.

"Hey, Soda," Darry said, gently shaking Soda's shoulder. "C'mon, time to get up."

Soda moaned lightly and swatted weakly at Darry's hand. "Five more minutes," he mumbled.

"C'mon, you got a doctor's appointment, remember?" Darry prompted.

Soda slowly blinked his eyes open and looked up at him blearily. Darry was really concerned about how tired Soda still seemed and he wondered if this was normal. He helped Soda slowly sit up and then gave him a minute to get his bearings. He brought him his shoes and socks and helped him pulled them on since he couldn't really lean over enough to reach his feet. Then he helped Soda to his feet. He swayed a bit unsteadily and hung onto Darry for support as they made their way out of the house. The porch steps were a little tricky and then Soda struggled a bit with getting up into the truck. Finally they were on their way back to the hospital.

Soda seemed steadier after he got out of the truck and was able to walk mostly on his own into the hospital. The hospital was still uncomfortably familiar and almost without thinking Darry moved a bit closer to Soda as they walked, trying to remind himself that Soda would be leaving here with him. It was still painfully fresh how close they had come to losing Soda in this very building.

Darry left Soda in a chair in the waiting room as he went to check him in. When he went back to sit with him he noticed that Soda seemed a little fidgety and was looking around nervously. As he sat next to him Darry put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Soda," he said in a low voice. "It's just a quick checkup."

Soda nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said. "It's just weird. I hardly even remember being here for a week and a half. It's kinda creepy not remembering…"

Darry nodded. He could understand that. They waited quietly until a nurse finally called Soda's name. They followed her back to an exam room where she took Soda's weight, blood pressure and temperature. She made no comments as he scribbled the information down on Soda's chart and then said that the doctor would be with them shortly before leaving. Soda sat back on the exam table so that he was leaning back against the wall behind him and he swung his legs lightly while Darry sat in a chair, trying not to look at his watch too often. Finally there was a knock at the door and Dr. Evans walked in.

"Hello Darrel," Dr. Evans said. Darry nodded a greeting as the doctor looked over at Soda. "How are you feeling, Sodapop?"

"Better," Soda said.

"He had a small fever earlier this week," Darry spoke up, not satisfied by Soda's short answer. "He's also been awfully tired still."

"How high was the fever?" Dr. Evans asked.

"It got up to almost 101 at one point," Darry said. "It was already dropping back down by the morning though."

The doctor nodded as he made a note on his chart. "That's not unusual," he said. "It was probably a very minor infection. Had Sodapop been perfectly healthy he probably wouldn't have even noticed it. It is a good sign that his immune system responded at all though. As for the lack of energy, that is to be expected at this point. He probably won't be feeling somewhat normal for several more weeks."

Darry nodded, accepting this answer. He watched as the doctor began checking Soda over. He listened to his heart and lungs, had him twist his abdomen this way and that and Darry didn't miss the way Soda winced at the motion. He peeled back Soda's bandages to check his wounds, asking how often they had changed them over the past week and seeming satisfied with the answer. When he re-bandaged Soda's wounds he used smaller bandages that would be a lot easier to change. He also drew some blood to test. As Darry watched he was just thankful that Soda was awake and aware while all this was going on. It had been difficult to watch Soda go through these kinds of exams while he had been unconscious when he had been sick. Even after he had started getting better he had seemed so groggy that he seemed to barely understand what was happening. It was another sign of Soda's improvement which gave Darry hope that eventually things would get back to normal.

"Well, everything looks as good as we could hope for, given the circumstances," the doctor finally announced. "You seem to be healing up nicely, Sodapop."

Soda nodded, smiling lightly. "So does that mean I can go back to work soon?" he asked.

Darry was startled by this question. He hadn't even considered Soda going back to work anytime soon. He couldn't even seem to stay awake through the day, let alone get through a full shift.

Dr. Evans paused at his question as he thought it over, leafing through Soda's chart again. "If you feel up to it, I can clear you to work next week," he said slowly, clearly thinking it over carefully. "But you should stay away from any physical labor and you shouldn't be on your feet too long. You should also at least start off just doing part time to see how your body can handle it." Soda nodded and Darry was a bit surprised by this answer. It seemed awfully soon for Soda to be going back to work. "That's it for today. I'd like to see you again in a week to make sure everything is still going well. You can set up an appointment at the reception desk."

"Thanks," Darry said as he stood up.

"You're very welcome," Dr. Evans said with a nod as he left the room.

Darry moved over to the exam table and helped Soda climb down. They headed out into the hallway with Soda walking on his own again, stopping at the reception desk to schedule another appointment. As they headed back out toward the parking lot Darry noticed that Soda was shuffling his feet a little more, seeming tired out from the trip. It had been the most he had moved around since coming home a week ago and clearly he was worn out from it.

"Soda, I don't want you goin' back to work too soon," Darry finally spoke up as they crossed the parking lot.

Soda looked up at him. "The doc said it was alright to go back next week," he pointed out. "Honestly, Darry, I'm feelin' better. I'm sure by next week I'll be a lot better."

Darry sighed lightly. "Well, let's just play it by ear, okay?" he allowed reluctantly as they approached the truck.

"Darry, I gotta get back to work," Soda said as he walked around to the passenger's side. "The bills are gonna be tight enough as it is."

"Steve and Two-Bit are both pitchin' in," Darry said as he dug around in his pocket for his keys. "We'll make it work."

Darry fumbled a bit to unlock the truck as Soda went to tug on the door to open it, finding it still locked. The jerking motion caused him to suddenly hiss in pain and double over slightly as he grabbed his chest.

"Soda?" Darry said sharply as he hurried around the truck. "Soda, you okay?" Soda was hanging onto the door handle tightly and let out a light groan in response, holding very still with his eyes squeezed shut. "Soda, talk to me," Darry implored, feeling worried. He reached out and put a gentle hand on Soda's shoulder, ready to catch Soda in case he fell.

Soda slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Darry. "Ow…" he said quietly.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, looking at Soda with concern. He glanced back at the hospital behind them. "We could go back in and find the doctor…"

Soda shook his head, even as he still clung to the door handle, reaching out his other hand slowly to grab onto Darry's arm. "No… no, just give me a minute," he breathed.

"Okay, take your time," Darry said.

Soda remained still, taking a few deep breaths. Finally he slowly straightened up. "Sorry about that," he mumbled.

"It's okay," Darry assured him. Keeping one hand on Soda he reached out and unlocked the truck. He pulled the door open for Soda before carefully helping him climb up into the seat, noting how he winced. "You sure you're okay?" he asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Soda said as he leaned back heavily against the seat.

Darry nodded as the slammed the door closed. He circled around to the driver's side and climbed in. He glanced over at Soda as he started up the truck, seeing how tired he looked.

"Soda, I don't think you're gonna be ready to go back to work next week," he said again.

Soda looked over him tiredly. "It'll be fine," he said. "I ain't gonna work on any cars or nothin'. I'll just sit behind the counter."

Darry sighed. He was surprised that Soda seemed determined about this, and he wasn't quite sure why. He decided that the best thing to do was let the subject drop for now. They still had another week until it really became relevant anyway. Darry carefully pulled out of the parking lot and started driving back toward home. They had a quiet ride and as Darry glanced over at Soda he saw that he was already dozing off. It had been a big day for him, after spending most of his time over the past two and a half weeks in the same place all day.

Darry carefully pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. "Hey, Soda," he said, gently shaking Soda's shoulder. "We're home."

Soda blinked sleepily, looking around. Darry got out of the truck and walked around to help Soda climb out. He leaned heavily on him as they made their way up the walk, clearly exhausted. As they entered the house Darry helped him back over to the couch where he lay asleep only an hour ago. Soda already seemed to be drifting off again as he lay back down and Darry pulled the blanket back over him.

"Soda, the phone's right here," Darry said as he reached over and shifted the phone on the end table next to the couch even closer to him. "The phone number for my job site is right next to it. You call me if you need anythin'."

"Mmm," Soda hummed, clearly only half awake.

Even though it was later than he was hoping to get back to work, Darry still hesitated, looking down at his little brother as he drifted off to sleep. Suddenly he felt unsure. Was it really okay to just leave Soda here like this? What if something happened and he couldn't make it to the phone? Was the social worker right? Would it be better for Soda to be in a place where he wouldn't be left on his own all day in his current condition?

Darry sighed to himself. He hated that he was questioning himself so much. Ever since their parents had passed away Darry had always been so sure that he should take care of his little brothers, he felt so sure that that's what their parents would have wanted. Suddenly that was the most important thing in his life: taking care of his brothers. They had always been such a close family. But was he really enough for them? Especially with their current situation?

Stubbornly, Darry pushed the thoughts away. He knew that Pony and Soda would be devastated if they were taken away, especially now after everything they had been through. Darry just couldn't put them through that. As he looked at Soda's sleeping form he decided right then that if the state wanted to take his brothers away from him they would have to fight him every step of the way. Maybe this wasn't the best situation ever, but at least they still had each other and that's what was keeping all of them going. He wasn't going to be the one to tear what's left of this family apart.


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Hey guy! I'm really sorry that I didn't reply to all the reviews, but I still appreciate every single review, you guys are the best! Here's the thing, I'm actually having surgery on my hand on Wednesday to remove a cyst. I'll probably be pretty slow at typing (I'm actually not technically supposed to be typing now, shhh) for a while afterwards, so don't be surprised if the next chapter is a little late. Please continue to review! Reviews keep me motivated! :)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"_There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature."  
― Jane Austen (__Northanger Abbey)_

"Hey, Two-Bit, I need a refill!"

Two-Bit glanced down the bar from where he was wiping down glasses. It was after two in the morning on Friday night and most of the customers had already made their way out of the roadhouse or up to a room with only a few guys left scattered around, giving the room a subdued feeling to it.

"It's after last call, Tim," Two-Bit pointed out as he made his way down the bar to where Tim Shepherd sat. He had wandered in around midnight, clearly having just come from a fight of some sort and looking to drink the rest of the night away.

Tim made a sputtered noise of disapproval. "Like that matters," he said.

"You're right!" Two-Bit said brightly with a grin as he refilled Tim's glass. Tim rolled his eyes at him before taking a generous gulp of beer.

Two-Bit moved over to the cash register, counting out his tips from the night. He tended to do pretty well and he hoped that between him and Steve they would be able to make up for Soda's missing paycheck in the Curtis household.

"Nice haul there," Tim said, eyeing him as he counted out his money. "That'll hold ya over with beer and cigarettes for a while."

Two-Bit shook his head. "This here is goin' to the Curtises," he said as he pocketed the cash. "Tryin' to help them out a bit."

A look of understanding came over Tim's face. "Yeah, Sodapop Curtis was the one who got shot up at the DX the other week, right?" Two-Bit just nodded. "Damn shame about that. He doin' alright?"

"Yeah, he's been out of the hospital for a week now and he's gettin' better," Two-Bit said. "No tellin' when he'll be able to get back to work though."

Tim nodded as he swore lightly. "Damn coward to shoot and run like a bitch like that," he muttered. "At least when we fight there's a reason. Put someone in their place."

Two-Bit just nodded, deciding not to comment on the fact that he knew guys in Tim's gang that had held up gas stations before. Never in their own neighborhood though. It was different when it was one of their own. And as far as Two-Bit knew they had never shot anyone while holding up a gas station. Did that make it any better? Probably not much. But they protected their own. And Soda was most definitely one of their own, a full-blooded Greaser.

"Hey Tim," Two-Bit said slowly. "You ain't heard nothin' about who might of done it, have you?"

Tim took a long swig of his beer before answering. "Naw, man," he said. "I asked around right after I heard about it, but nobody knew nothin'. I can tell ya it wasn't one of us." Two-Bit nodded. He knew that someone in Tim's gang wasn't stupid enough to try something like that, but Tim still heard about things outside of their neighborhood. "I'll keep my ears open though. Let you know if I hear any rumors."

"Thanks, Tim," Two-Bit said.

"Anytime," Tim said. He paused as he finished off his beer. Then he pulled out his wallet and counted out some cash to pay off his tab, tossing it down on the bar as he stood and shrugged into his jacket. "Unless he skipped to Mexico, that guy won't disappear forever. He'll turn up and we'll give him what's comin' to him."

Two-Bit grinned at him. "Sounds good to me," he agreed. As Tim started from the bar Two-Bit counted through the cash he had left. "Hey wait, Tim, you left too much."

"Keep it," Tim said casually. "Tell Darry it's for lettin' me crash on his couch a few times."

Two-Bit stared after him. Tim was known around the bar staff for being a lousy tipper if he tipped at all. He seemed to think he was above leaving extra money since he was there so much. But he had just left a twenty dollar tip on an eight dollar bar tab. That was not only unheard of, but baffling.

"Two-Bit, close it up," came a voice from behind him. Two-Bit was startled out of his shock by Buck stumbling down the stairs. "Head out, you're done for the night."

"Yeah, okay," Two-Bit said distractedly, opening the cash register and depositing the eight dollars for Tim's tab while pocketing the rest. "See you tomorrow night."

Buck simply grunted as Two-Bit grabbed his jacket and made his way out of the roadhouse. Outside the air was cool and crisp. He threw on his jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked along. He had left his car at home tonight, finding it easier just to walk. He whistled lightly as he walked, feeling optimistic with the wad of cash in his pocket. Perhaps they would be able to get the Curtis family through this latest bump in the road.

XxXxX

It was well past noon by the time Two-Bit finally rolled out of bed. His eyes were only half open as he stumbled around his bedroom, throwing on some clean clothes before heading out into the hallway. He could hear the TV on in the living room and as he passed he saw his little sister sitting on the floor in front of the set, completely absorbed in the show that she was watching.

Two-Bit dragged his feet as he entered the kitchen, still blinking sleepily as he fell into a chair at the kitchen table and yawned loudly.

"Well, good afternoon," his mom said. "I didn't think you were ever getting up."

"Mmm." Two-Bit grunted. "Late night."

"You missed breakfast," she said as she brought him over a sandwich and set it on the table in front of him.

"Thanks," he said as he dug in. He was starved. His mother sat down in a chair across from him and just watched him for a minute. "What?" he finally asked with his mouth full, confused by the look she was giving him.

His mom smiled lightly at him. "I'm just proud of you, that's all," she said. "Getting a job to help your friends like that."

Two-Bit shrugged a shoulder. "They'd do the same for me," he said simply.

His mother nodded. "How are they doing over there?" she asked.

"Well, Soda's doin' better," he said. "He's still awful tired all the time, but he can get up and move around on his own a bit. He had a doctor's appointment yesterday, I dunno how it went yet though."

"What about Ponyboy and Darrel?" she asked. "How are they holding up?"

Two-Bit hesitated, wondering how much he should tell his mother. He had heard about the social worker showing up at their house the other night and even though Darry had said that it had gone fine, somehow he had his suspicions that Darry wasn't tell them the whole truth.

"They're holdin' it together," he finally said. "Darry's workin' a lot tryin' to keep up with the bills. But as Soda keeps gettin' better it seems like Pony and Darry do too, you know?"

His mom nodded at him. "So do you," she said.

He cocked an eyebrow, not quite understanding. "Huh?"

"Well when you're in a better mood it's always when Soda is doing better," she explained. "I could even hear it in your voice over the phone when you would call from the hospital."

Two-Bit hadn't realized that, but now that he thought about it, it made sense. After the deaths of Johnny and Dally just a few months ago they had grown a lot closer as a gang. Losing another one of their own, no matter who it was, would have been devastating.

Two-Bit quickly finished off his lunch before heading out, walking in the direction of the Curtis house. He was pretty sure both Steve and Darry were working today, so he figured it'd be a good idea to go over in case Pony needed any help with Soda. He took his time walking over though, enjoying the nice weather. Soon enough the Curtis house came into sight.

"Hey Pony," Two-Bit greeted as he walked into the house, spotting Pony sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Don't slam the door," Pony said quickly.

Two-Bit jumped back and managed to grab the door just before it slammed shut, and closed it quietly. "Soda still sleepin'?" he asked.

"He was up for a little bit this mornin'," Pony said as Two-Bit moved to sit down next to him. "He went back to sleep pretty soon after breakfast though."

"How'd his doctor's appointment go yesterday?" he asked.

"Darry said it was good," Pony answered. "The doc said that he was healin' up just fine. But I guess Soda was already askin' about goin' back to work. The doc said maybe next week."

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Really?" he said, surprised. He sat back and thought about it for a minute. It had been almost three weeks since Soda had been shot at the DX. Only two weeks since he had been so sick they weren't sure he was going to survive. He knew it was a lot of time to miss at work, but still it seemed awfully soon.

Pony nodded, putting his elbow up on the arm of the couch and resting his cheek on his palm. "Darry said he's worried about the bills."

"Shoot, that's what me and Steve are doin', so Soda don't have to," he pointed out.

"Yeah…" Pony said slowly. "But Soda's hospital bills are gonna start comin' in soon. I think Darry's nervous about that too."

Two-Bit sighed. He could understand that. Would him and Steve helping out be enough? Even with both Darry and Soda working full time they had struggled a bit with Pony's hospital bills a few months ago. And those bills were going to look very small compared to Soda's hospital bills. Two-Bit would be worried if Darry wasn't concerned about that.

Two-Bit's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of movement coming from down the hall. Pony was on his feet in a second, hurrying down to check on Soda. Two-Bit stayed where he was, not wanting to crowd Soda and make him feel like they were babying him. He figured Pony would call him if they needed help. A minute later Soda appeared in the living room walking on his own with Pony at his side.

"Well hey there sleepyhead," Two-Bit said with a grin. It was good to see Soda up and about on his own.

"Mornin' Two-Bit," Soda said with a tired smile.

"Afternoon, actually," he corrected.

"That explains the empty stomach," Soda said with a light laugh as he headed for the kitchen. "I'm gonna make some lunch, anyone want anythin'?"

"No, I ate," Two-Bit said.

"You want me to get it for you?" Pony asked.

"That's okay, Pony, I got it," Soda assured him.

Pony looked a little reluctant, but backtracked back to the couch anyway as Soda disappeared into the kitchen.

"Geez, you're hovering more than Darry," Two-Bit pointed out. "He seems fine to me."

"Darry wanted me to keep an eye on him today," Pony said in a low voice. "He was afraid he might try to do too much to try and prove that he's okay enough to go back to work next week."

Two-Bit could see his point, but making lunch didn't seem too labor-intensive so he wasn't too concerned. Sure enough just ten minutes later Soda came out of the kitchen holding a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of chocolate milk. He winced slightly as he lowered himself down into Darry's recliner and leaned back heavily, looking a bit worn.

They were all sitting quietly watching TV for several minutes before Two-Bit noticed anything was off.

"You smell that?" Two-Bit asked. He sniffed the air. "Soda, you burn somethin'?"

Soda looked down at his mostly eaten sandwich. "No…" he said slowly. "I don't think so."

The smell of smoke was quickly growing stronger and Pony pushed himself off the couch to investigate. He walked to the kitchen and then froze in the doorway, his back rigid. Two-Bit jumped off the couch to see what he was looking at. As he came up behind him he cursed loudly at the sight and shoved Pony out of the way as he ran into the kitchen. He flipped the burner on the stovetop off before he rushed to the sink and quickly filled up a nearby pan with water, throwing it on the small fire next to the stove. He repeated the action several times before the fire was finally out.

"Jesus, Pony, what were you gonna do, just watch the kitchen burn down?" Two-Bit demanded as he yanked open a window to try and air out the suffocating smoke smell. Pony didn't answer. "Pony?" he said as he turned. He spotted Pony standing against the wall right where Two-Bit had shoved him in his haste. His eyes were wide and his face was pale. He looked like he was on the verge of passing out. "Glory, kid, you okay?"

Pony looked at him and slowly nodded. Two-Bit slowly approached Pony and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, leading him out of the smoke-filled kitchen and back into the living room where Soda was sitting up slightly in the recliner, looking at them expectantly, a confused look on his face.

"What happened?" Soda asked.

"The burner on the stove was still on," Two-Bit said. "Looks like a dishtowel caught on fire and the counter got kinda burned up. No real damage though."

Soda stared at him with a blank look in his eyes. "I… I don't remember…" he said slowly. He sighed, looking distraught as he put a hand to his head. "I guess I forgot." Then he focused on Pony, who still looked shaken, though Two-Bit couldn't understand why. "Pony? You okay?"

Pony swallowed hard and then nodded. "The fire… it reminded me of…" he couldn't finish his sentence. But suddenly it clicked. Pony had been in a fire just five months ago. The fire that had killed Johnny.

"Oh Pony," Soda said, looking even more upset. "C'mere." Pony moved over to the recliner and Soda moved over to one side, allowing Pony to curl up beside him as he wrapped his arms around him securely. "I'm sorry, Pony," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to. It's okay now."

Pony nodded as he sniffled lightly and buried his head in Soda's shoulder. Two-Bit quietly moved over to sit on the couch, leaving the two brothers some privacy. But as he looked at them he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. This family had been through so much in such a short amount of time. The tragedy they had endured in the last year was more than most people went through in a lifetime. It was enough to make anyone break. But somehow they all kept it together. If they hadn't been such a close family to begin with, Two-Bit suspected that they wouldn't have made it this long. They could only hope they could find a way to keep going.

Pony didn't take long to calm down and they even played a fair few card games before Soda began to get tired again. Two-Bit helped him back to bed and he was asleep almost instantly. The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Pony worked on homework while Two-Bit watched the TV with the volume down low so that he wouldn't disturb Soda, even though he seemed like he could sleep through a twister these days.

Two-Bit didn't realize how late it was getting when Darry walked in the door.

"Hey," Darry said tiredly, clearly exhausted as he crossed the room and immediately fell into his recliner. He wasn't working quite as much as he had been right after Soda had gotten out of the hospital, but he was still working an awful lot.

"Hey Darry," Pony said. Two-Bit merely gave him a nod.

"How did it go today?" Darry asked.

Pony hesitated and looked over at Two-Bit. Two-Bit took the hint.

"Well, it was mostly fine," Two-Bit started slowly. "He slept most of the day again. He was up for a while this afternoon though to eat lunch and play some cards."

"It was _mostly_ fine?" Darry prompted.

"Well he insisted on makin' his own lunch today," he went on. "It was fine… until we realized he forgot to turn the burner on the stove off. There was a small fire, but I put it out pretty quick."

Darry sighed heavily as he got up and headed to the kitchen, assumedly to check the damage. With a glance at Pony, Two-Bit got up and followed Darry. He found Darry eyeing the scorch mark on the counter. He glanced up as Two-Bit entered.

"Well, it doesn't look too bad," Darry said.

Two-Bit nodded. "Yeah, we caught it pretty quick." He hesitated and then moved closer. "Pony was kinda shook up when he saw it though. He just kinda froze. He said that it reminded him of the fire him and Johnny were in…"

Darry leaned back up against the counter and ran a hand through his hair. "How's he been since?"

"After Soda calmed him down, he's seemed fine," Two-Bit assured him. "Just thought you should know."

"Yeah, thanks," he said. "He's been doin' better lately, but I think it still bothers him when he thinks about it. Soda once told me how he noticed that Pony was a lot more careful about putting out his cigarettes."

Two-Bit nodded. He couldn't say that he had noticed that, but it still made sense that Pony would still be bothered by it. Not all that much time had passed since they had lost their friends. It would take them all a very long time to feel like they were really past that pain.

Two-Bit leaned back up against the counter, looking at Darry curiously. "How d'you think Soda is gonna do with gettin' over this?"

Darry sighed. "I dunno," he said. "I mean he hasn't really said anything about it since the police officer interviewed him about it. Even the social worker didn't really ask him about it, she just asked about the hospital and how he's been since bein' home. But last time he talked about it he had a panic attack. I can't imagine it's gonna be easy for him to get over."

Two-Bit nodded. "Pony said he already wants to go back to work."

"Yeah," Darry said flatly. "He's worried about us keepin' up with the bills. I wish he wouldn't though. I just don't think he's ready to go back there."

"He'll have to go back eventually," Two-Bit pointed out.

"Yeah," Darry admitted reluctantly. He paused for a minute, deep in thought. "Thanks for being here today, Two-Bit."

"Anytime," Two-Bit said easily.

"You wanna stay for dinner?" Darry asked as he turned to the ice box.

"Naw, that's okay," Two-Bit said. "I'll grab somethin' at home before I go to work."

Darry chuckled. "I'm still gettin' used to that not bein' a joke."

Two-Bit gave him a mock glare. "I am offended by that!" he said. "Oh, that reminds me." He dug in his pocket and pulled out his tips from the night before. "Here."

Darry hesitated only slightly before reaching out and taking the cash. "Thanks Two-Bit," he said. "This is a huge help."

"Hey, none of us wanna see Soda and Pony taken away," Two-Bit said seriously. "We're in this together, Darry." Darry nodded at him. Two-Bit glanced at his watch. "I better get goin'. I'll stop by again tomorrow afternoon."

"Sounds good," Darry agreed. "See ya, Two-Bit."

"See ya," Two-Bit said with a wave. He made his way out into the living room where Pony had gone back to his homeowork. "I'll see ya tomorrow, Pony."

"Bye," Pony returned.

Two-Bit headed out of the house. The sun was just starting to set over the houses in the neighborhood. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked along the side of the road heading back to his house. The past three weeks had been trying for all of them. But no matter what life threw at them, they still kept going. They had to. And hopefully things would finally start to even out and they could start feeling normal again. Two-Bit actually kind of hoped that Soda would be able to get back to work. It would be one more step toward normalcy.


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm alive! Thank you for all the reviews to the last chapter as well as the well wishes for my surgery. It went well, and I'm glad to have it behind me. Now, I actually wrote the second half of this chapter before my surgery and the first half of this story after my surgery so I was on painkillers and typed it out with one hand haha. So I hope it came out okay! Please review! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_Courage isn't the absence of fear; it's the dealing with it._

Over the course of the next week Soda continued with his improvement, much to the relief of the rest of the gang. He seemed to be awake more during the daytime and was moving around more as well with less pain. The gang suspected that a lot of that had to do with Soda pushing himself to trying and prove that he would be okay to go to work the next week, though no one could figure out exactly why he was so determined. Sure money was a concern and a legitimate thing to worry about at the moment but something still wasn't quite adding up.

The truth was as the weekend ended and everyone returned to school and work Soda was left alone in the house. This wasn't any different from the past week when he had first come back from the hospital. Except for one very important detail. Soda was spending more time awake. It hadn't been a big deal when he had spent most of the time asleep, but it was beginning to bother Soda more and more spending so much time by himself. He was restless but more than that he was unsettled, though he wouldn't admit why even to himself. He did everything he could to not think about why he wanted to get out and instead focused on how they needed the money.

Partway through the week Soda strongly suspected that his hospital bills had finally arrived in the mail, even though Darry didn't say as much to him. He could tell because the subject of him going back to work was very suddenly met with much less resistance. And the next time he went to the doctor's and received another good evaluation Darry made no arguments when the doctor agreed to clear Soda to go back to work part time, even though he didn't look particularly happy about it.

Steve talked to their boss and managed to get Soda a shift for the following Saturday for just a few hours in the morning. Steve would have the same shift. Soda found this a bit comforting. Even though he was trying to act like it was no big deal he was still grateful to be easing back into going back to work.

He found it very hard to get up early Saturday morning, but made the effort to get up on his own because he was a bit concerned that Darry would decide to just leave him in bed. Pony was already up by the time he dragged himself out of bed. He began wandering around the bedroom looking through his clothes in search of his work shirt. Then he froze as he realized something. Usually he had two DX shirts. One had been torn a few weeks before he had last been at work when he had been crawling out from under a car. The other… he wasn't quite sure where the other one had gone. He supposed someone at the hospital had probably thrown it away because it had been soaked with his blood.

He quickly shook the thought away as he dug around and managed to find a plain white t-shirt, figuring that it would be good enough for today. Very slowly he pulled the shirt over his head feeling the now familiar ache in his chest. He paused, taking a deep breath to compose himself before heading out into the hallway.

"'Mornin'," he greeted as he entered the kitchen to find both Darry and Pony at the table eating breakfast. He carefully sat in the vacant chair that already had his breakfast in front of it, doing his best not to wince at the motion.

"Hey, little buddy," Darry said, eyeing him critically. "How'd you sleep?"

"I slept fine," Soda assured him as he started in on his breakfast.

There was a short pause as Soda tried to ignore the look passed between Darry and Pony, getting the distinct feeling that they had been talking about him just before he had entered the room.

"You still feelin' up to goin' in today?" Darry asked slowly. "It'll be fine if you wanna wait a little longer."

Soda nodded immediately. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he said, not meeting Darry's eyes as he focused on his breakfast.

There was another pause and when Darry spoke again Soda was relieved to find that he had let the subject drop and switched his focus.

"What are you up to today, kiddo?" Darry asked, looking over at Pony.

"Not much," he said with a shrug. "I'm meeting some people at school later to work on a group project though."

"For which class?' Darry asked.

"History," Pony said. "I'm hopin' it'll only take a few hours."

"You walkin' over to the school?" Darry asked.

"Yeah," Pony said.

"Maybe you could call up Two-Bit," Darry said. "I bet he could give you a ride."

"Ah, Darry," Pony said with exasperation. "It's the middle of the day, I don't need a babysitter."

"I think it's a good idea," Soda spoke up suddenly. "You shouldn't be walkin' around by yourself." Both Darry and Pony looked over at him with surprise. It was rare that Pony and Soda were ever on opposite sides of an argument. "Please, Pony?" Soda asked, a hint of pleading in his voice. Suddenly the thought of Pony walking around by himself really worried Soda.

Pony hesitated, clearly thrown off by Soda siding with Darry. "Yeah, okay," he finally said. "I'll call up Two-Bit."

Soda nodded, feeling relieved as he went back to his breakfast. A minute later there was the sound of a car door slamming outside. Soda glanced at the clock and saw that it was about time to leave for work. He felt his stomach do a flip flop. He caught Darry's eye for just a second before he quickly looked back down at his plate hoping that he didn't notice anything off.

"'Mornin'," Steve greeted as he turned up in the kitchen. "Hey, Soda, I brought somethin' for you." He tossed Soda a DX shirt.

"Thanks," Soda said. He slowly stood up and felt a bit self-conscious as he slowly began to pull his shirt off. He still had bandages on his chest, though they were much smaller than before. As he struggled with pulling his shirt over his head Darry stood up and helped him.

"You're not gonna do too much today, right?" Darry asked after he helped Soda into the new DX shirt.

"No, I won't," Soda said. "I'm just gonna be sittin' behind the counter the whole time."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Steve said while Soda rolled his eyes.

"And make sure you wash your hands at least a few times during the day," Darry reminded Soda.

"Yeah, I know," Soda said with exasperation.

"Call me up at work if you need anythin'," Darry said.

"It'll be fine, Darry," Soda said. He looked over at Steve. "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," Steve said.

They headed out of the house and Soda paused, blinking against the light. It was only the third time he had left the house since he was released from the hospital. He realized he had hesitated for an abnormally long time as Steve nudged him along. He stumbled a bit on the stairs but Steve was walking close enough to catch him by the arm.

"You alright?" he asked, looking at him with concern.

"Yeah, fine," he said as he regained his footing.

They made their way down the walk and Soda was able to climb into the car without incident. As they began driving Soda studied the familiar scenery. The closer they got to the DX the more antsy he felt. He did his best to keep a straight face though.

As they pulled up in front of the gas station the first thing that Soda noticed was that they had fixed the glass door in the front of the store. The one that had shattered when the robber had shot at Steve. He quickly pushed the thought away as he slowly climbed out of the car and headed for the store with Steve close behind him. As he pushed open the door he visibly winced at the sound of the tinkering bell as they entered. As Soda walked around the counter his footsteps faltered as he quickly adverted his eyes from the floor. He didn't want to think about how that was the exact spot where he had nearly bled to death. Taking a calming breath he carefully balanced himself on the stool that his manager had put there for him.

"You sure you're okay?" Steve asked skeptically, still standing in the doorway.

"I'm _fine_," Soda insisted, even as he became aware of his heart rate increasing. He wasn't fine. But he wanted to be fine. Perhaps if he pretended then he could convince even himself. "The biggest challenge today will be stayin' awake 'cause I'll be so bored. Go on now."

"Okay," Steve finally allowed, though he looked far from convinced. "Come get me in the garage if you need anythin'."

"It's not my first day," Soda grumbled, feeling annoyed. He didn't need to be babysat. "I think I can handle sitting behind the counter for a few hours."

"Yeah, okay," Steve said as he reluctantly headed out of the store. "See you later."

Soda watched him go, the door closing behind him with the sound of the bell. The noise sent a shiver up his spine. "See you," he said quietly, mostly to himself since Steve was far from earshot. He nervously rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. It was such a strange feeling because he had always been so comfortable at the DX ever since he started working there when he had just turned sixteen. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He was suddenly grateful that he was only working part of the day instead of a full shift. He just had to get through a few hours and then he could go home.

Thankfully it was a slow morning. Not many people were up that early on a Saturday morning. A few customers trickled in and out of the small store over the course of the next hour. At first the sound of the bell made him cringe, reminding him of how the bell had rung the last night he had been there. But as the morning went on he managed to put thoughts of that night out of his head.

It was around mid-morning when one of the regular girls wandered in. She glanced around for a minute, seeming bored until her gaze fell on Soda and her eyes lit up as she made a beeline for the counter.

"Hi Soda!" she exclaimed with a wide smile.

Soda smiled back at her as he sat up, hoping he didn't look too ragged. He was getting awfully tired. "Hey Cindy," he said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Oh, I'm meeting up with Amy later, I was just tryin' to kill some time," she said, leaning on the counter. "I didn't know you were back! We've sure missed you around here the past few weeks."

Soda laughed lightly. "Yeah, today is my first day back."

"Why you been gone so long?" she asked, looking at him curiously as she cocked her head to one side.

Soda faltered slightly. He wondered if she knew about what happened. He had no idea how far word had spread; he had been pretty out of the loop lately. Plus Cindy wasn't the brightest girl ever. She was pretty spacey most of the time so she could have simply forgotten. "I wasn't feelin' well," he finally said vaguely.

"Well, I'm glad you're feelin' better!" she said with a grin, completely unfazed by his hesitation.

As she went on yammering about some kind of drama that was going on in her circle of friends Soda was aware of the bell ringing again. He found that he was much more aware of who was coming and going out of the store than he used to be. He glanced over and then did a double take as he felt his stomach drop as his body instantly went cold. Cindy didn't appear to notice anything, too wrapped up in her own story that Soda was no longer even trying to listen to. A man had just entered the store and wandered over to the magazine rack. Suddenly it was hard to breath and Soda's heart was racing as he looked at the man. It wasn't the same man… was it? No it definitely wasn't the same guy… right? He was having a hard time focusing and the guy's features seemed blurred and he couldn't seem to tell.

"Soda?" Cindy said, suddenly realizing that he wasn't paying any attention to her.

Soda quickly snapped his gaze back to the girl in front of him. He moved his hands from resting on the counter to his lap, clasping them together and hoping that she didn't notice that he was suddenly shaking.

"Hey, could you do me a favor?" he said slowly, trying very hard to keep his voice steady even though he didn't think he was completely successful.

Cindy didn't seem to notice though as she grinned at him. "Sure!" she said.

"Could you go out into the garage and tell Steve to come in here?" he asked.

Cindy's face fell. Obviously that wasn't the kind of favor she had been hoping for. "Yeah, sure," she said a bit flatly. She turned and made her way out of the store, the now ominous bell ringing behind her.

Soda suddenly realized his mistake. Now it was just him and the man in the store. He could feel his panic bubbling just below the surface and he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep it together much longer. He wanted to run from the store but suddenly he felt frozen in place.

"Hey."

Soda jerked as he looked up, finding that the man was now right in front of the counter, looking at him expectantly. It wasn't the same guy. He knew it wasn't… didn't he? Suddenly he realized that there was a magazine and a few dollar bills laying on the counter. The guy was trying to buy the magazine. Soda slowly reached out a shaking hand and took the money, struggling to remember how to work the cash register. He kept on looking at the guy, fully expecting to see a gun pointing at him. But there wasn't one.

"You okay, kid?" the guy asked, looking at him strangely. "You tweekin' or somethin'?"

Soda shook his head silently, not trusting his voice. Carefully he counted out the change and pushed it across the counter. The man took it and as he pocketed the change the bell rang. Soda's breath caught in his chest as he gripped the counter hard.

"Soda?"

Suddenly Soda was gasping for breath, shaking uncontrollably. A hand landed on his shoulder and that was enough to push him over the edge. He cried out and suddenly he was falling hard to the floor. He was aware of someone calling his name but he couldn't focus on it. He could almost feel the blood soaking through his clothes again; he could almost feel the pain in his chest. It was like it was happening all over again.

"C'mon Soda, _look at me_!"

Someone shook him firmly and suddenly Soda was looking up into Steve's face.

"S-Steve?" Soda stuttered. Steve had his hands clasped firmly on Soda's shoulders and Soda grabbed onto his arms to anchor in him in the present.

"Hey, it's okay," Steve said gently. "C'mon, let's get you outta here. Can you stand?"

Soda wasn't sure, but the thought of getting out of there was enough motivation for him to try. He allowed Steve to pull him to his feet and he leaned on him heavily as they made their way around the counter and through the store. Steve pushed the door open and the bell echoed through Soda's head. Then he was hit was a fresh breeze. He was still gasping for breath but he could feel the knot in his chest loosen. He was suddenly sitting on the curb outside the store, Steve right next to him with his hand on his shoulder.

"Soda?" Steve said carefully. "You okay?"

Soda nodded lightly as he took a deep breath. He still felt shaky but slowly he was beginning to breathe easier. "Yeah… I think so…" he said quietly.

"What happened in there?" Steve asked. He dug in his pocket for a minute and came up with a pack of cigarettes. Soda gladly accepted one when he offered.

Soda looked over at him, aware that he was still shaking. "I… I dunno…" he said. He found that he was too shaky to light his cigarette and Steve took the lighter from him and lit it for him. Soda inhaled deeply. "That guy walked into the store… he looked kinda like… the other guy…"

As vague as that statement was as Soda looked over at Steve he could see that he got what he was trying to say. The man in the store had reminded him of the man who had shot him.

"I got a good look at him as he was leavin'," Steve said slowly. "It wasn't him."

Soda nodded. Somehow he had known that. It made sense. As he thought back it was obvious that it wasn't him. In the moment that concept had been hard to grasp though. Soda leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he took another drag off his cigarette. He almost groaned out loud when he heard a car pulling into the parking lot. He wasn't up for any more customers. But as he looked up he was surprised to see a very familiar truck. He shot Steve a questioning look.

"When you wouldn't respond to me in there I kinda panicked," Steve admitted. "I called up Darry at work and told him to get down here."

Soda sighed. "I wish you wouldn't have done that," he said.

"Hey either way you ain't goin' back to work after that," Steve said firmly.

Soda watched as Darry jumped out of the truck and hurried over to where they sat. "Soda, you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Soda assured him tiredly. "You really didn't have to come all the way over here…"

"You're not fine, Soda," Steve said. "You could hardly breathe in there. I really thought you were gonna pass out."

Soda sighed as he rested his head in one hand, taking a hit off his cigarette with the other. He was aware of Darry sitting down next to him on the curb and he felt his hand on his back.

"C'mon Soda," Darry said. "Maybe it was too soon. Let me take you home and you can try again another day."

Soda shook his head. "I can't just leave, Darry," he said stubbornly. "It's just me and Steve workin'."

"I'll cover it," Steve said. "I'll see if I can get someone else to come by, and if not I can handle things until the next shift gets here."

Soda still hesitated. He looked up at Darry. "I don't want to sit at home by myself," he admitted quietly. He knew Pony wasn't likely to get back from working on his group project for hours still and he was still feeling shaken from the whole ordeal.

"Oh," Darry said, realization dawning on him. He paused for a moment, thinking that over. "Well how about you come sit at work with me then? Steve can swing by and pick you up after he's done here."

Soda thought about that. As much as he wanted to pretend he was okay, he really didn't want to stay here right now. It seemed that fact was obvious when Darry suggested that Soda leave work and go to his work instead. If Darry was only concerned about Soda being tired this solution would make no sense. "Yeah, okay," he finally agreed.

Darry gave him a small smile. "Okay," he said. "Let's go."

Darry and Steve both stood up as Soda put out his cigarette on the curb. Then Darry reached back down and grabbed Soda's hand and slowly pulled him to his feet. Soda felt the now familiar ache in his chest as his older brother put him back on his feet. It wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be though. That was something anyway.

Soda felt bad leaving Steve there by himself, but he knew that it wasn't likely to be very busy until later anyway. He followed Darry back over to his truck. As he approached he opened the door carefully and then was able to pull himself up into the passenger's seat. It felt good to finally be able to do some things on his own again.

Darry hovered close by but didn't interfere with Soda getting himself into the car. After he was settled Darry went around to the driver's seat and climbed in. He started up the truck and began driving away. The farther they got from the DX the more that Soda seemed to relax. He found this frustrating though. He couldn't be afraid to go to work. They had bills to pay. Would he ever really be okay?


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: **Thank you reviewers! I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to respond to reviews, things have been so hectic, but I appreciate every single one of them and they definitely keep me motivated with this story. Keep it up guys! :)

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

_Wings won't take me  
Heights don't phase me  
So take a step  
But don't look down  
Take a step_

_Now I'm standing on the rooftop ready to fall_  
_I think I'm at the edge now but I could be wrong_  
_I'm standing on the rooftop ready to fall_

_- Rise Against (Ready to Fall)_

Soda and Darry were quiet as they drove away from the DX station and soon Darry was pulling into his current work site.

"You wanna wait here?" Darry asked, looking over at Soda as he turned off the truck.

Soda hesitated for a moment. "No… not really," he said slowly, feeling slightly embarrassed. One thing he didn't need right now was isolation.

Darry merely nodded. He opened his door and climbed out. Soda followed his lead and pushed open his own door and carefully climbed down. He circled the truck to find Darry waiting for him on the other side. He followed Darry as they made their way across the site and approached who Soda assumed to be the site manager.

"Hey, Curtis," the man said, looking up from a clipboard. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Darry said. He nodded over at Soda. "My brother had to leave work and he can't be home alone right now with his injury. Would it be okay if he hung around here while I work until someone can come get him?"

The manager eyed Soda for a moment and Soda shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. He was grateful that Darry blamed his injury for having to bring him along instead of the real reason, which he didn't even want to admit to himself.

"Alright," the manager finally agreed. "Just make sure he doesn't get in the way."

Darry nodded his thanks before heading back toward the house they were working on, Soda following behind like a lost puppy. Darry picked up a bundle of roofing and approached the ladder. He turned to Soda.

"You climb up first," he said, motioning up the ladder. "Just use your legs to climb up and go slow. You're not supposed to be doin' any physical labor."

Soda nodded. "I can make it," he assured him, eyeing the ladder.

"I'll be right behind you," Darry said.

Soda took a deep breath before approaching the ladder. He stepped up onto the bottom rung and placed his hands up on a higher rung for balance. As he began to climb he focused on using mostly just his leg muscles, though he still felt a dull ache in his chest. As he slowly climbed he was aware of Darry climbing up just behind him, ready to catch him in case he fell. One step at a time Soda ascended to ladder until he finally made it to the top, stepping onto the roof. Darry joined him a moment later. The other roofers looked at him funny but didn't say anything as Darry led Soda over to a different part of the roof, away from everyone else. Soda found it a little difficult to walk on the slope of the roof and grabbed onto Darry's arm for support.

"You can sit over here," Darry instructed. "I'm gonna work right over there." He indicated a spot just a few feet away.

"Yeah, okay," Soda said.

Darry helped Soda lower himself to sit on the roof. After he was sure he was settled he grabbed the bundle of roofing and moved over to where he needed to work. Soda laid back against the slope of the roof, feeling too drained to sit upright. Darry eyed him with concern.

"You feelin' okay?" he asked.

"Just tired," Soda answered.

Darry didn't look convinced as he started to work on the roof. "You seem like you got somethin' on your mind," he said. "You wanna tell me about what happened today?"

Soda turned his head, looking over at his big brother as he worked. "I dunno," he said slowly. "I mean, I was doin' okay for a while today. Then this guy walked into the station and he looked a little like the… other guy. Suddenly I was panicking. I couldn't control it."

"That's understandable," Darry said easily. "It's gonna take some time for you to get over what happened, you know?"

"What if I don't get over it?" Soda asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

Darry sighed. Obviously he had already thought of that possibility. "We could try to find you a different job," he said.

"Like what?" Soda said. "All I'm good at is fixin' cars. And who knows when I'll be able to do heavy liftin' again to do somethin' like roofin'."

"We'll find you somethin' if it comes to that," Darry said vaguely.

"I don't want to leave the DX," Soda went on. "I like workin' at the gas station. But…" He hesitated.

"But what?" Darry prompted, looking up at him.

Soda met his eyes. "That guy is still out there," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "What's to stop him from comin' back? It's… scary to think about."

"Yeah, it's real scary," Darry said, and Soda was surprised at this admission. Darry hardly ever admitted to what he was feeling. Darry sighed. "Part of the reason I was so against you going back to work is because of that very thing. Because of them not catchin' the guy who hurt you yet."

Soda looked over at him carefully. He thought over something for a minute. Suddenly it just burst out of him. "I was so scared," he said. "When it happened. It hurt so bad and I really thought I was gonna die." His voice shook with emotion as his eyes clouded with tears. He had avoided talking about the night itself for so long, except from when the police had questioned him. He never wanted to admit that he was scared; he was supposed to be a tough Greaser after all. But finally the truth found its own way out.

Darry stopped what he was doing and looked over at Soda in surprise, obviously not expecting that. After a moment he seem to shake himself out of his shock as he moved closer to Soda, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay to be scared," Darry said gently. He paused. "When I got that call from Steve saying you were in the hospital… I was terrified. I was so scared we were gonna lose you."

Soda wiped at the tears in his eyes and looked up at his big brother. He remembered how scared Darry had been when Pony had run away all those months ago. Soda had been just as scared because they had no idea if Pony was safe or not. It had been such a relief when Pony had returned to them unharmed. It had to be so much worse when Darry had been told that Soda had actually been hurt. When thinking about it that way it almost seemed like Soda had the easier time with the whole situation. After he had been rushed to the hospital at least he didn't remember much. But he still felt so haunted by the night itself.

"I… could have died," Soda said as if it had just hit him. He had known this all along, but admitting it out loud was different. It made it more real. He looked up at Darry with pain in his eyes. "And he could come back."

Darry sighed. "Yeah," he admitted. "Hopefully he's not stupid enough to do that though. Hopefully he high tailed it right out of the state."

"But what if he didn't?" Soda asked.

Darry was quiet for a moment. "I would never make you go somewhere that you don't feel safe," he finally said slowly, looking Soda in the eye to make him believe how serious he was. "It's completely up to you if you wanna go back to the DX. Don't feel like you have to. If you don't want to go back we'll figure something else out, I promise you that."

Soda nodded at him. After a pause Darry stood and went back to where he had been working. Soda remained quiet as Darry worked, feeling overwhelmed by the decision he had to make. Could he go back to the DX? Could he go back to that place where he had almost died every single day and work? He didn't know the answer to that. It seemed impossible to go back… but at the same time he couldn't imagine working anywhere but the DX.

The sun beat down on the roof and after a while Soda found himself dozing off against his will. As he faded away from consciousness memories came back to the forefront of his mind. Pain. Blood. Fear. The rain falling down on him as they took him out on the stretcher.

"Soda? Hey Soda?"

Soda jerked out of his restless half-conscious state, looking around a bit disoriented for a minute as he tried to figure out where he was. Darry was crouching over him and there was sky above him.

"What?" Soda mumbled.

"You dozed off a bit," Darry told him. "Steve's here to pick you up. C'mon."

It was then Soda remembered where he was. He was at work with Darry and had fallen asleep on the roof. As he looked down he could spot Steve's car among the other cars down on the street. Darry reached down and carefully helped Soda to his feet and he leaned heavily on Darry, finding it hard to balance. They made their way back over to the ladder. Darry climbed down first and then waited just a few rungs down as Soda slowly lowered himself down. He was glad that Darry had gone first because he wasn't feeling completely steady. He stumbled a little about halfway down and felt Darry's hand reach up to help steady him. He managed to make it back to the ground but he felt completely drained and there was a dull ache in his chest.

"You okay?" Darry asked with concern as Soda leaned on him.

"Just tired," Soda mumbled, relying on what was quickly becoming his standard answer to the much asked question.

"Yeah, that was a lot for you," Darry said as he began to lead Soda over to where Steve was parked. "Make sure you get a lot of rest when you get home, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Soda agreed easily, figuring he didn't have the energy to do much else anyway.

Darry opened the passenger's door to Steve's car and helped Soda slide into it.

"Thanks for your help today, Steve," Darry said.

"No problem," Steve answered easily from the driver's seat. Darry nodded and closed the door before turning and heading back toward the house. Soda leaned back heavily against the seat as Steve shifted the car into drive and pulled off the curb back into the street. He glanced over at him unsurely. "Feelin' okay?"

"It's just been a long day," Soda sighed.

Steve nodded. "I talked to the boss today," he said. "I told him that we'd let him know when you were ready to go back. He said not to rush it."

Soda nodded silently. He had always been open with Steve, but at that moment he didn't want to talk about his doubts about going back to work. The whole day had been so overwhelming that Soda knew that he wasn't going to be able to make a decision today. It was just too much to take in. All he could think about right now was getting home and getting back into his bed.

Soda was fighting to stay awake by the time Steve was pulling up in front of the house. He managed to push open his own door but found that he couldn't find the energy to pull himself to his feet. He let out a groan of frustration. He hated feeling so weak that he couldn't even walk from the curb to his own house. Steve came around the car and carefully helped Soda out of the car. Soda wavered unsteadily on his feet.

"Whoa, Soda," Steve said as he held on to Soda firmly to keep him on his feet. He looked at him carefully. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm so tired," Soda murmured.

"C'mon, let's get you inside," Steve said, but clearly he was worried. Soda himself felt a little worried. Was this normal? He had no idea. All he knew was that he was falling asleep on his feet and all he could think about was getting back to his bed.

Soda leaned heavily on Steve as they made their way up the walk and stumbled up the stairs. As they entered the house Soda was immediately aware of the television on. He glanced around and saw Pony sitting on the couch. As he realized that Pony had obviously finished working on the group project he became aware of the fact that he had no idea what time it was.

"Hey," Pony said with a smile. The smile quickly slipped off his face as he took a good look at him. He jumped up and hurried over to them. "Soda, are you okay? What happened?" There was a hint of panic in his voice and Soda wondered vaguely how bad he looked.

"I'm fine, Pony," he tried to assure his little brother, though he could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "Just tired is all."

Pony still looked a little frightened as Steve helped Soda passed him and through the living room. Soda was barely aware as they made their way down the hallway. He had a vague sensation of bumping into something at one point, but he had no idea what. Everything was slowly fading away. Suddenly his head was on his pillow. The covers were pulled up over him. And then he just let go. He let go of his worry. He let go of the weight of the decisions he had to make. And he let the quiet take over as he fell into a deep sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

_You gotta swim  
And swim when it hurts  
The whole world is watching  
You haven't come this far  
To fall off the earth  
The currents will pull you  
Away from your love  
Just keep your head above_

_I found a tidal wave_  
_Begging to tear down the dawn_  
_Memories like bullets_  
_They fired at me from a gun_  
_A crack in the armor_  
_I swim to brighter days_  
_Despite the absence of sun_  
_Choking on salt water_  
_I'm not giving in_  
_I swim_

_- Jack's Mannequin (Swim)_

* * *

Darry was more than anxious to get home, but he was forced to work late because he needed the money. He could only take comfort in knowing that Steve most likely stuck around at the house not to mention Pony had to be back from working on his group project at school. Soda hadn't been looking good when he left, but at least he wasn't alone right now. And if something had really gone wrong he knew that everyone knew well enough to call him at work. When no call came it was safe to assume Soda was okay, but Darry still felt nervous. He wanted to be able to see for himself that Soda was okay.

Finally as the sun was setting Darry headed for his truck, feeling exhausted. He made the trip back home in record time and as he climbed out of the truck he wanted nothing more than to eat dinner and go right to bed before his early morning the next day. Somehow he figured that wasn't going to happen though.

As he entered the house he saw that Steve, Pony and Two-Bit were all gathered in the living room, watching TV with the volume down low. As they all looked over at him with mirrored expressions of worry in their eyes Darry could immediately tell something wasn't quite right.

"How is he?" Darry asked as he entered the living room and placed his tool belt down on the coffee table.

"He hasn't moved since he got home," Pony said, a flat note in his voice. Clearly he was worried.

"I could barely get him to bed, Darry," Steve spoke up, his voice a bit grim as well. "I'm pretty sure he was already asleep before I even got him to his room."

Darry sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Well it was a long day for him," he tried to reason.

"Yeah, what the hell was he doin' up on the _roof_ with you?" Steve suddenly demanded. "I figured he'd stay in the truck or somethin'."

"Hey, calm down," Two-Bit said, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder.

"He didn't want to stay in the truck," Darry said.

"You coulda made him," Steve said stubbornly.

"Yeah, that's woulda worked real well," Darry shot back sarcastically. "He just had a major panic attack, I wasn't about to make him do somethin' he really didn't want to do. So I did what I could with the situation."

Steve sighed. "Guess you're right," he muttered reluctantly.

Darry nodded, satisfied with the admission. Anyway he knew that Steve was just looking for a reason to lash out. That's how he dealt with stressful situations. Darry glanced in the direction of Soda's room. "So he hasn't eaten since this morning?" he asked.

"No he hasn't," Pony confirmed. "We tried to get him up for dinner about an hour ago… but he wouldn't really wake up."

Darry sighed. "Well, he's gotta eat somethin'," he said. They couldn't have Soda skipping meals now, not with everything else he was going through. They had to keep him healthy.

"We made some soup," Pony said. "We figured it'd be easier for him to eat. It's in the kitchen."

Darry smiled at Pony, feeling proud of him for how he was handling all of this. He headed for the kitchen and spotted the pot of soup still simmering on the stove. He poured a portion into a bowl before taking it down the hall. He knocked quietly on Soda's door just in case before pushing it open. He immediately spotted Soda curled up under the covers, sound asleep.

Darry carefully approached the bed, setting the bowl down on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed. "Hey Soda," he said, reaching over and gently shaking Soda's shoulder. "C'mon Soda, wake up." Soda didn't move. This made Darry a little nervous. He shook him again, a little more insistently this time. "Soda? Soda, wake up." This time Soda let out a small moan and shifted a bit. This was more encouraging. "That's it, Sodapop. Wake up now."

"Hmm," Soda hummed, sleepily.

"You gotta get up, Soda," Darry urged. "You gotta eat somethin', then you can go back to sleep, I promise."

That was enough to get Soda to slowly blink his eyes open, looking up at him blearily. "Hm?" he mumbled.

"It's time to eat, little buddy," Darry said.

"Mmm. Later," Soda murmured, drifting back to sleep.

"No, it's gettin' late," Darry prompted, shaking him again. "You gotta eat now."

Soda looked up at him again. "I slept all day?" he asked.

"Yeah, most of it," Darry confirmed. He put his hand on Soda's forehead and was relieved when he felt that he wasn't warm. "How do you feel?"

"Real tired," Soda murmured. "Feels like I could sleep for days."

"It was a long day for you, all things considered," Darry pointed out, trying to reassure himself as well as his little brother. "Now c'mon, let's get you up so you can eat somethin'."

"Yeah, okay," Soda sighed.

Darry reached down and carefully helped Soda sit up, propping him up against the pillows. Soda leaned back heavily, his eyes drooping. Darry moved the bowl of soup to Soda's lap, holding it steady for him as Soda reached for the spoon. Darry watched as Soda took a few bites, keeping his hand on the side of the bowl to keep it from spilling. But too soon Soda was dropping his hand back down to the bed.

"I'm too tired, Darry," he said, sounding like a little kid in that moment.

"Just a little more, c'mon," Darry urged.

Soda sighed but picked up the spoon again and managed several more bites. As he let his hand fall once again Darry decided that he couldn't push him anymore. He took the soup back and placed it on the bedside table. He helped Soda lay back down on the bed, pulling the covers back over him as he immediately fell back asleep.

Darry walked back into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind him. As he entered the living room he found that everyone was right where he had left them.

"How is he?" Pony asked immediately.

"Still real tired," Darry said as he moved to sit in his recliner. "But I got him to eat some anyway before he fell back asleep. I left the bowl in your room. If he wakes up again can you see if he'll eat some more, Pony?"

"Sure," Pony answered.

"Is he supposed to be this tired?" Two-Bit spoke up. "I mean, I thought he was gettin' better. Suddenly it seems like he worse again."

Darry sighed. "I dunno," he admitted.

"So what do we do?" Pony asked slowly.

Darry paused for a minute, thinking it over. He felt torn, but he knew that he had to make a decision. "We'll let him sleep," he finally said, hoping that he sounded more decisive than he felt. "If he's not doin' any better tomorrow I'll take him to the doctor."

Everyone nodded. It sounded like a solid enough plan. Darry couldn't get rid of the nagging in the pit of his stomach though. Was this his fault? He knew that taking Soda up on the roof with him was a bad idea, but he hadn't seen any way around it in order to keep Soda close to him. And it was clear that Soda hadn't wanted to be alone. Darry had simply wanted to give his little brother what he wanted. But was climbing that ladder too much for him? It felt like all they could do was wait and see.

XxXxX

Pony went to bed early that night. Soda hadn't moved once since Darry had gotten him to eat. Pony woke up several times throughout the night, subconsciously worried about his brother. But every time he woke up Soda was still sound asleep.

Pony was up early the next morning even though he didn't get much sleep. He heard Darry moving around in the kitchen and he figured he might as well get up and talk to Darry some before he left for work. He dragged himself out of bed and grabbed the bowl of soup from the night before off the bedside table and then slowly made his way down the hall to the kitchen.

"'Morning, Darry," Pony mumbled as he dropped into a chair at the kitchen table, placing the bowl in front of him.

Darry turned to look at him, looking a little surprised. "Hey Pony," he said. "What are you doin' up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," Pony said flatly.

Darry looked concerned. "What about Soda?" He eyed the bowl of soup in front of Pony. "He didn't eat any more?"

"He hardly even twitched all night," Pony said. "Slept like a rock."

"He still doesn't have a temperature though, right?" Darry asked as he took the bowl and put it back in the ice box.

"No, not last time I checked," Pony confirmed.

Darry smiled lightly at him. "Thanks for all your help, Pony," he said.

Pony smiled back at him. "No problem," he assured him.

"Now Steve's workin' today," Darry said. "And Two-Bit worked last night so he probably won't be up until after noon at least. Can you handle things for the day?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it Darry," Pony told him.

Darry nodded. "I'll call around lunch time to check in. See if you can get him to wake up and eat somethin' before that. If not I'll have to come home and take him to the doctor. He can't be skippin' meals like he did yesterday." Pony nodded knowingly. "I gotta head out. You call if you need anything."

"I will," Pony promised.

Darry headed out to the living room to gather his things before heading out the door. Pony sat at the table for several more minutes before he decided that he needed to try and get some more sleep. He could barely keep his eyes open. He pushed himself away from the table and made his way back down the hall.

Back in his room he found that Soda didn't appear to have moved an inch. That worried Pony a lot. As he approached the bed he leaned over and felt Soda's head just to be sure. His temperature felt normal. That was something anyway. Hopefully he would feel better when he woke up again.

Pony crawled into bed, carefully curling up into his brother. And slowly he drifted back to sleep.

It was several hours later when Pony stirred again. As he slowly made his way back to consciousness he was aware of arms around him. This wasn't unusual but as he woke up more he realized that Soda must have moved since he hadn't been like that when Pony had gone to sleep. Had Soda woken up while Pony had been sleeping? It was certainly possible.

Pony looked at the clock and saw that Darry would probably be calling to check on them in about an hour. He should probably try and see if Soda could eat something. He carefully made his way out from under Soda's arm as he got out of bed and then headed back to the kitchen and managed to fix up the soup from yesterday. He returned to the room and placed the bowl on the bedside table.

"Soda?" Pony said, reaching over and gently shaking Soda's shoulder. "Soda, time to wake up."

Soda let out a low groan as he rolled over. He slowly blinked his eyes open, taking a moment before he focused on Pony.

"Pony?" he mumbled.

Pony smiled at him, glad to see that he was waking up easier than he had the day before. That had to be a good sign. "Hey Soda," he said. "Think you could eat somethin'? You didn't eat much yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Soda said, looking a little confused. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "What day is it?"

"It's Sunday," Pony told him. "You slept most of the day yesterday."

"Oh," Soda said vaguely, looking a little troubled at this information.

"You want some soup?" Pony asked, trying to change the subject as he indicated the bowl on the bedside table.

"Yeah, sure," Soda said.

He began pushing himself up onto the pillows more and Pony reached over and helped him a bit. Once he was settled Pony handed him the bowl and then perched himself on the edge of the bed as Soda ate. They were quiet for a few minutes. As Pony watched his brother it was clear that he was deep in thought as he slowly ate. Pony wondered what he was thinking about. He had heard what had happened at the gas station yesterday from Steve. He couldn't imagine how Soda had felt when he had gone back to the place where he had almost died. Or maybe he did a bit.

"I haven't been back to the park since that night," Pony spoke up suddenly. Soda looked up at him, a bit of surprise in his eyes. But Pony knew that Soda understood what he meant. Ever since the night that the Socs had almost drowned him in the fountain Pony had gone way out of his way to avoid the park. It wasn't something he ever talked about, but at that moment he felt compelled to say it out loud. "At least you went back. I don't think I coulda done that."

Soda looked at him for a moment, and then his eyes dropped down to his lap. "I didn't last very long though," he said quietly.

Pony nodded lightly. "Remember when there was that fire in the kitchen?" he said. "I just froze. I couldn't even move."

Soda looked at him for a minute before he cracked a small smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "It's amazing that between the two of us we haven't given Darry more grey hair."

Pony smiled back at him. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed.

Soda was quiet again as he ate a few more bites of his soup. Then he looked back up at Pony. "I can't just not go back to work, though," he said slowly.

Pony nodded. It occurred to him that Soda had put himself through the ordeal yesterday in order to keep them all together. Darry didn't talk about it, but they all knew that they were very close to being in serious trouble with money. There was significantly less food in the house than usual and Pony had caught Darry pouring over bills almost every night this week with the same worried expression on his face. Soda must have some kind of idea that they were falling behind as well. Pony couldn't help but think that at least part of the reason Soda had forced himself to go to work so soon was because he was afraid of them falling behind with bills and then him and Pony would be taken away from Darry. If their parents were still alive none of this would be an issue, Pony thought a bit bitterly.

"What about gettin' another job?" Pony asked slowly.

Soda sighed. "Yeah, Darry suggested that too," he said. "I just… don't want another job. I like workin' at the DX. It's somethin' I'm actually good at." They were quiet for a minute. "I have to go back. I can't not."

Pony frowned. He wished he had some sort of solution for his brother. But he knew that there wasn't one. It had always seemed so natural that Soda work at a gas station. There wasn't anything else that he wanted to do with his life. They couldn't really take that away from him, especially if he openly admitted that he didn't want to lose his job.

"I mean, I doubt that guy would come back anyway," Soda said, obviously trying to convince himself as much as Pony.

Pony nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right," he told him, trying to sound convincing.

But the statement got him thinking. What if that guy did go back to the DX? What if he really wanted Soda gone? The thought made him feel sick and he quickly tried to push it out of his head as he wrote it off as just his wild imagination.

Pony was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the phone ringing.

"That's probably Darry," Pony said as he jumped up. He hurried out into the living room and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Pony," came Darry's voice. "How's Soda doin'?"

"He's good," Pony said, glad to be able to give Darry some good news. "He woke up without much trouble and he ate most of the soup I gave him."

"Good," Darry said sounding relieved.

"I think yesterday really shook him up though," Pony said, lowering his voice a bit.

"Did he say somethin'?" Darry asked.

"Not really," Pony admitted. "Just his tone when he talked about it a little. He said that he has to go back though."

He heard Darry sigh. "We'll figure somethin' out," he said vaguely.

"Yeah, okay," Pony said even though he knew that neither of them believed that. Soda was going to go back to the DX. Even though it scared him, he would still go back. It was who Soda was. The gas station practically defined him. But it was slightly encouraging that Soda didn't want to let that robber take that away from him.

"I gotta head back, kiddo," Darry said, pulling Pony from his thoughts. "Call if you need anything'."

"Okay, see you later," Pony said, before he hung up.

He just stood there for a minute. The more he thought about it, the more that he was sure that Soda would go back to the DX. He could imagine that he would be back there within the next few days. And the more he realized the truth in this, the more he got an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was his wild imagination… but somehow he felt like this wasn't over yet.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

_Casually I confide  
Awake and paralyzed  
Forever in one word  
Forever is the longest time  
It's the only cure  
I'm not sure I'll survive_

_- Funeral for a Friend (Recovery)_

Soda must have nodded off while Pony had gone to get the phone because the next thing he knew he was waking up again. He was laying back down even though he didn't remember doing that. He blinked slowly, taking in the familiar bedroom. After being home for two weeks it still felt good every time he opened his eyes to the familiar sight.

With a glance around he saw that he was alone in the room. He could hear some muffled noises coming from out in the living room. Carefully he rolled himself out of bed, feeling stiff and achy. He attributed that to not moving much over the past day. He'd been in bed for over twenty-four hours as far as could tell. He stumbled over to the wall so that he could hang on for stability as he slowly made his way out of the room. He made it part way down the hallway before he started to feel dizzy. He leaned heavily against the wall.

"Pony?" Soda called, trying to blink the spots from his vision.

He heard movement, a lot more movement then if it were just Pony in the house.

"Soda?"

It wasn't Pony's voice he heard. He felt someone grab him and put his shoulder under his arm to support him. He could feel someone on the other side of him too, keeping him steady as they led him along.

"Soda? Can you hear me?"

Soda realized that he was sitting on the couch now. He looked around. Pony was sitting on the couch next to him. Steve was crouched in front of him and Two-Bit was standing behind him. It was Steve who had spoken. Soda took a deep breath, feeling his head clear.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Soda said. He looked around at everyone looking at him with concern. "Quit starin', I'm fine. Just tried to get up too quickly is all."

"Okay," Steve said, though he didn't look convinced.

Steve settled on the couch on Soda's other side while Two-Bit sat in the recliner. The TV was on but there was still an uncomfortable tension in the room.

"What time is it?" Soda asked, just to be saying something.

"It's a little after six," Pony told him. "Dinner' cookin' in the kitchen, it should be ready soon."

Soda nodded, realizing that he felt hungry. Then he realized why that didn't make much sense how late it was. "It's after six?" he said slowly. "Shouldn't Darry be home?"

"Looks like Superman's workin' late again," Two-Bit said.

Soda sighed. "I thought he wasn't gonna be workin' so much anymore," he said. After he had gotten sick Darry had laid off working so much for a short while, but over the last few days it seemed like Darry was working even more.

Two-Bit laughed lightly. "Yeah, how long did you really think that'd last?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Soda said reluctantly.

He didn't like that Darry was picking up more hours again. It said something about their finances as well. After what happened with him yesterday Soda knew that Darry would want to be there to make sure he was okay. The fact that he wasn't home right now really spoke to how much trouble they were in. Soda knew that he had to go back to work as soon as possible.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Everyone froze and looked at each other uneasily. A knock at the door was never good news. Finally Two-Bit stood up and walked over to the door. Soda did his best to sit up a bit more. As Two-Bit opened the door he revealed what they had all already suspected. Their social worker, Ms. Walters, was standing in the doorway.

"Hello," Ms. Walters greeted. "I'm looking for Darrel."

"He ain't home yet," Two-Bit said shortly.

Ms. Walters nodded and looked past him to where Soda sat with Pony and Steve on the couch. "Perhaps I could come in and wait then."

"It ain't my house," Two-Bit said with a shrug. He turned. "Soda? You're in charge while Darry's not here."

"Yeah, she can come in," Soda said. He knew that turning her away would only make things worse. He also knew that Two-Bit was putting on a show, saying that Soda was in charge. Soda certainly wasn't in charge, not in his condition. But Ms. Walters didn't need to know that he was still struggling.

Two-Bit stepped aside and ushered her into the house, closing the door behind her.

"Hello Sodapop, Ponyboy," she said as she entered.

"Hi," Soda said flatly. He felt Pony shift closer to him. Soda glanced at him to see his little brother looking up at him anxiously. Ms. Walters usually only visited them once a month or so. It wasn't a good sign that she was back so soon.

"How are you feeling, Sodapop?" she asked as she settled herself in the vacated recliner.

"A lot better," Soda said as steadily as he could.

Ms. Walters nodded. "Where is Darrel tonight?" she asked.

"He's workin' a little late," Soda told her.

"Has he been working late a lot lately?" Ms. Walters asked.

Soda hesitated, wondering what the right answer was.

"Darry always works a lot," Steve spoke up. "Even before all this."

"Yes, but before all this he didn't have a sick and injured brother at home to take care of," Ms. Walters pointed out.

"I ain't sick," Soda said defensively. "And I don't need Darry to babysit me."

"We're all pitchin' in," Two-Bit spoke up. "Obviously he's not sitting around here by himself whether he needs someone to look after him or not."

"Which I don't," Soda reiterated irritably, quickly getting annoyed. He felt Pony reach over and carefully take his hand. Soda looked at him and took a deep breath, realizing that he couldn't get worked up right now.

They all heard the sound of the truck door slamming outside. Soda felt relieved. Darry would make sure everything was okay. Darry would make sure that him and Pony weren't taken away.

The door opened and Darry stepped inside. He didn't look surprised at the scene that he found and Soda realized that he probably had seen Ms. Walters' car out front.

"Evenin', Ms. Walters," Darry said as he walked in.

"Hello, Darrel," Ms. Walters returned. "I see you were workin' late tonight."

"Yes I was," Darry confirmed.

"I'm gonna check on dinner," Two-Bit said. "Steve?"

Steve took the hint and pulled himself off the couch and followed Two-Bit into the kitchen, leaving just the Curtis brothers and Ms. Walters. Darry moved over and took Steve's seat next to Soda. He turned and looked at him carefully.

"How're you feelin' Soda?" he asked.

"Fine, Darry," he assured him.

Darry nodded his approval.

"How have things been since I was last here?" Ms. Walters asked.

"Better," Darry said, turning to focus on her instead. "Soda's been to the doctor and he said that everythin's healin' up fine and he's been doin' a lot better overall."

"And how about the money?" Ms. Walters asked. "You must have gotten the hospital bills by now."

Darry sighed lightly. "Yeah," he admitted. "But we're still hangin' in there."

"I called to check up on some of your other bills yesterday," she said, flipping through a few of her files. Darry sighed heavily at this and Soda looked up at him in surprise. "It seems you are late on both your water bill and your electric bill."

Both Soda and Pony gave a start at this information. "I'm gonna pay them this week," Darry said, sounding distressed. "It'll only be a few days late."

"And then there will be more bills, Darrel," she pointed out. "If this is becoming too much for you…" She let the thought hang.

"No," Darry said immediately. "It's not too much. We'll make it work."

"If I were to go into the kitchen and check the pantries, what would I find?" she asked.

Darry hesitated. "Not much," he admitted. "But I'm goin' to the store tomorrow."

"You still have bills to pay, Darrel," she pointed out. "If you can't provide food and simple necessities for your brothers then this arrangement isn't going to work."

"It will work," Soda spoke up. "I was able to go back to work yesterday, the doctor said that I could. Now that I can work again we'll be able to make ends meet."

Ms. Walters looked over at him skeptically. "You can go back to work full time already?" she asked.

"Well, it's part time for now," Soda admitted reluctantly. "But it's still gonna help."

"Please, you can't take us away, not now," Pony spoke up desperately.

Soda wound an arm around Pony in an attempt to comfort him. He swallowed hard, hoping that that was not where this conversation was heading. He didn't know what he would do without Darry and Pony right now.

"I really don't know if I'm comfortable leaving you two here right now," Ms. Walters said. "This just doesn't seem like the best situation for you right now."

Soda took a deep breath as he reached for the last card that he had to play in this game. He turned to Ms. Walters and met her eyes. "Please," he said quietly. "I've… I've been havin' a hard time with this. With dealin' with being… being shot. And recoverin' and still feelin' weak. It's been a lot to handle. And I couldn't have done it without my brothers here with me. If you take them away from me now… please, I can't be without them right now. I can't."

There were a few beats of silence as his words sunk in.

"Just give us some more time," Darry spoke up. "That's all I'm askin'. We just need some more time to make this work."

There was tension in the room as Ms. Walters thought this over. "Alright," she finally said and Soda let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I don't want to separate you boys. I will give you another week. But Darrel, if it still looks to me like you won't be able to provide for your brothers I will have no choice. This is the last chance that I am able to give."

"I understand," Darry said.

Ms. Walters nodded as she stood and Darry stood with her. "You have a good night, boys," she said.

Darry walked her to the door and opened it for her, closing it again once she had gone. There was silence in the house following the social worker's exit. Darry then turned and walked back over to them, sitting down in the recliner. He looked at Soda carefully.

"How are you really doin'?" Darry asked.

"I really am doin' better, Darry," Soda assured him. "I was just tired yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell us you needed more money, Darry?" came Two-Bit's voice.

Soda glanced around and saw that Steve and Two-Bit were standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Clearly they had heard the whole thing.

Darry sighed. "It's not for you guys to worry about," he said.

"It damn sure is for us to worry about," Steve said. "We don't want Soda or Pony taken away any more than you do."

"I can pick up some more shifts at Buck's," Two-Bit said.

"I'll be workin' more too," Soda spoke up. Everyone looked at him funny at that statement, but Soda did his best to ignore it. He looked over at Steve. "When do you think boss can get me back on the schedule? I could start workin' full time again this week." He knew it'd be too late to get on the schedule for tomorrow, but he was hoping for Tuesday at least.

"You sure you're ready for that?" Steve asked slowly.

"I don't have time to wait to be ready," Soda said with some force. "We need the money now."

"We'll help out, Soda," Two-Bit said. "Me and Steve can cover for you so you don't have to rush back into it."

"It's still not gonna be enough, not with the hospital bills," Soda insisted.

"Soda, now don't get all worked up, okay?" Darry said cautiously.

Soda suddenly realized how tense he was, he was practically shaking. He leaned back on the couch as he took in a shallow breath in an attempt to calm down. He felt Pony take his hand and he squeezed it gratefully.

"Soda, you gotta think this through," Darry continued rationally, shifting forward on the recliner so that he was closer. "If you go back full time, Steve ain't gonna be there with you the whole time."

Soda hesitated, going over this fact in his head. It hadn't occurred to him, but at that moment it seemed so obvious. Steve was only at the gas station part time after school.

"I don't need to be babysat," Soda said stubbornly.

"Like hell you don't," Steve suddenly spat and Soda looked up at him in surprise. Steve looked at Darry instead. "He ain't goin' back there without me there with him."

"Why? Why does it matter?" Soda asked.

"Because I got your back better than anyone else there would," Steve practically yelled as he whirled back toward Soda. "I was the one there with you that night, Soda. And I was the one with you yesterday who knew to call your brother and pull you outta there when you had that panic attack. And I'm the one that's looking out the garage door there keepin' an eye on the street, tryin' to make sure that that damn robber don't come back and try and finish what he started!"

There was a ringing silence that followed that statement and all anyone could do was stare. Soda felt his whole body go cold. He swallowed hard.

"Soda?" Pony said carefully.

Soda took in a breath and looked down at him. "It's okay," he said quietly. He mostly said it because he didn't know what else to say. Because everything was far from okay.

"How about this, Soda," Darry said gently. Soda turned his head to look at him. "At least for now, if you do want to go back, you'll work part time with Steve."

Soda silently nodded his head. He had no sound argument for anything else, not after what Steve had just said.

Soda felt like he was in a daze. They ate dinner and afterwards they played cards but Soda felt like he was only half there and kept forgetting what game they were playing. He couldn't stop thinking about what Steve had said. Whenever the subject was brought up they mostly just denied that the robber would ever be stupid enough to return to the DX. But suddenly Steve had made it seem so much more plausible. Like it could really happen.

When they went to bed that night Soda found himself laying awake for the first time since he had been sick. Whether that was more because he had slept so long before or because he had too much on his mind, he really couldn't tell. Long after Pony had fallen asleep he found himself pulling his little brother closer to him for comfort. He was reminded once again how close he had been to dying that night. How close Pony had been to laying in this bed alone tonight. How close Darry had been to being the only one left to care for Pony.

He took in a shuttering breath as he held his brother closer. He wasn't going to lose Pony or Darry, not now, not after everything they had been through in order to stay together. He would do everything he could to make sure that the social worker wouldn't have any reason to take him away from his brothers. Even if it meant going back to the place that had almost taken him away for good.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note**: Okay, this is a little bit of a filler chapter so that I can get to the next part, but I hope you still like it! Things are going to pick up again soon, we still have a ways to go with this story so please stick with me! Don't forget to review!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"_A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog."_

_- Jack London_

Steve and Two-Bit walked along the side of the road in silence. Soda had been quiet for the rest of the night and when he had finally retired to bed Steve decided to head out with Two-Bit in order to give him some space. He felt a little bad for snapping at him like he had. But he stood by what he had said.

"Think he's gonna be okay?" Two-Bit asked, finally breaking the silence.

Steve glanced at him before looking back down at the ground, kicking along some rocks in the street. "Well, he had to hear the truth," he said defensively. "He had to understand why I should be there with him."

Two-Bit shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant," he said. "It was good that he hear the truth. I meant… do you think he'll be able to work full time there again? Without having panic attacks or anythin'?"

Steve sighed and shrugged. "I dunno," he admitted. "Maybe if that guy is ever caught he might."

"What about you?" Two-Bit asked suddenly.

Steve cocked an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I ain't the one having panic attacks at work."

"Yeah," Two-Bit said. "But the way you reacted in there when we were talkin' about Soda goin' back… clearly this affected you too. And you haven't been able to get away from that place since it happened. I mean you took two days off while Soda was sick but other than that you've been there pretty much every day."

"So? What's your point?" Steve demanded.

Two-Bit shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Just seems like you got a little pent up anger there, buddy."

"Yeah, well it just ain't fair," Steve mumbled. "Soda didn't deserve that. I mean it's one thing to hold up a gas station. It's another to shoot the guy workin' there who was cooperating and givin' you the money."

"Well clearly the guy didn't know what he was doin'." Two-Bit said.

Steve snorted. "Like that makes it any better."

"No, you're right," Two-Bit said. He sighed and then slowed to a stop. Steve glanced around and realized that they were in front of his house. "You headin' in?"

Steve eyed the light that was still on in the living room. He really wasn't up for dealing with his father tonight. "Maybe not yet," he said slowly.

"You wanna come over to Buck's with me?" Two-Bit asked.

"Yeah, sure," Steve agreed.

Under normal circumstances they probably would have gone over to Two-Bit's house and gotten his car and driven over to Buck's. But spending money on gas just seemed trivial when Darry was looking at losing both Soda and Pony to the state. So they hiked it.

When they arrived at Buck's they found that it wasn't too crowded yet. It was still early, plus it was a weeknight. Two-Bit headed behind the counter and Steve parked it on a bar stool. He contemplated ordering a beer, but then decided against it. He didn't want to spend the money on it. As time went on and more people trickled into the roadhouse he hung out and talked with some guys that he knew and even shot some pool.

It was getting pretty late and Steve was back at the bar when Tim Shepherd walked in with a few of his gang. They settled in and ordered beers before Tim noticed Steve sitting a few seats down.

"Hey Randle," Tim said.

"Shepherd," Steve said with a nod.

"Ain't seen you out much lately," Tim said as Two-Bit brought him and his friends' beers.

"Yeah, I've been busy," Steve said shortly.

Tim nodded and then eyed the empty space in front of him as he took a swig of his beer. "Two-Bit here slackin'?" he asked. "Looks like he forgot to bring you your drink."

"Naw, I ain't drinkin' tonight," Steve said. "I don't got the money. I'm just hangin' out."

Tim raised his eyebrows slightly. He glanced over at Two-Bit. "Hey, Two-Bit," Tim said. "Get Randle here a beer. Put it on my tab. It's just sad to watch a person sit at a bar with no drink."

"What a nice guy," Two-Bit laughed as he passed Steve a beer.

"Thanks," Steve said with a half smile.

"So what's goin' on over at the Curtis'?" Tim asked, taking another swig.

"Well Soda went back to work briefly," Steve said. "But he won't be workin' full time for a while."

Tim shook his head, looking a bit sympathetic. "I asked around, tried to see if there were any rumors about who robbed the DX," he said.

"And?" Steve prompted, looking at Tim carefully.

"Well I found out a whole lot of people it ain't," Tim said. "Whoever it was had to be an outsider. No ties to anyone around here. Otherwise I'd've heard 'bout it." Steve nodded, knowing he was right. That kind of thing didn't stay quiet in this kind of neighborhood for long. Tim looked at Steve curiously and seemed to be putting something together in his head. "How's the money over at the Curtis house?"

Steve shook his head. "Not good," he admitted. "The state already came around and threatened to take Soda and Pony away if Darry didn't get on top of the bills."

Tim swore. "Damn state, thinkin' they know what's what," he said. "Hell, Darry runs a better house than most in his neighborhood. My old man and yours included."

"You got that right," Steve agreed.

Tim looked thoughtful for a minute. "So Darry's behind on the bills?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Me and Two-Bit are pitchin' in, but it's a lot with Soda's hospital bills and everythin'."

"Huh," Tim said, taking another swig.

Steve wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, so he went back to talking to one of the other guys at the bar and eventually went to play another round of pool. When he got back Tim had gone, but his friends were still sitting there. Steve didn't think much of it.

"Hey, Two-Bit, I'm headin' out," he said after a while.

"Yeah, alright," Two-Bit answered.

"Randle, hang around for a few," one of Tim's friends said. Steve didn't even know the guys name.

"It's getting late," Steve said slowly, not quite understanding why he wanted him to stay. "And I gotta get up early in the mornin'."

"Tim said to hang around until he gets back," the guy said.

"Where'd he go?" Steve asked, confused.

"I dunno," the guy said with a shrug. "Just said to make sure you didn't leave. You want another beer?"

"No, I'm good," Steve said slowly.

He exchanged a look with Two-Bit, who simply shrugged. Clearly he was in the dark as to what was going on too. Steve considered just taking off anyway. But then he figured he might as well just wait around and see what he wanted. At least for a little while longer.

Twenty minutes later he was getting impatient and was just about ready to just walk out. He was getting tired and he had to be up early tomorrow for school plus he was working after.

"Hey Randle!" Steve turned to see Tim approaching. "Do me a favor. Give this to Darry."

Steve looked down skeptically at the envelope that was just shoved in his hands. "What's this?"

"Darry's a good guy," Tim said with a shrug. "All the Curtises are good in a rumble. They shouldn't be split up."

Steve cocked an eyebrow, even more confused by this statement. He flipped open the envelope and was surprised to see quite a few bills in there. "Shit, man, you serious?" he said in surprise. He knew that Tim could acquire money through several illegal activities that he participated in, but he wasn't known as a particularly generous guy. He usually blew his money on alcohol and gambling. In fact this kind of thing was unheard of from Tim.

"Yeah, I'm serious," Tim said simply.

"This is a huge help," Steve said, in a bit of shock. "Thanks Tim."

Tim just shrugged as he turned and went back to his friends.

"Did that really just happen, or am I drunk?" Two-Bit asked in disbelief, staring at the envelope.

Steve looked at him strangely. "Have you been drinkin'?" he asked.

"No," Two-Bit said thoughtfully. "So I guess I'm probably not drunk…"

Steve laughed lightly. "Yeah, probably not then." He hastily shoved the envelope into his pocket. "I'm heading out."

He walked out of the bar and into the cool night, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. It wasn't a ton of money in his pocket, but it was enough to get the Curtises through this week and get the social worker off their backs. It was a break that they all desperately needed right now.

Steve had no desire to head back to his own house, so he decided to head back over to the Curtis house instead. That way he could give Darry the money first thing in the morning.

As he approached the house he saw that it was dark. It was pretty late and he figured everyone must be asleep by now. He was quiet as he moved into the house, making sure the door didn't slam behind him. He headed for the couch, feeling exhausted. He kicked off his shoes and tossed his coat to the floor before falling down on the couch. He stretched out and was settling in when he heard some movement coming from down the hall. He listened for a moment and heard a door open and then someone walking down the hall toward him. He sat up slightly and turned just in time to see Soda appear in the doorway.

"Hey," Steve said, surprised. "What are you doin' up?"

"I thought I heard somethin'," Soda said.

"Sorry, I thought I was bein' quiet," Steve said.

"You were," Soda said with a small sigh. "I just couldn't sleep, so I heard when you came in."

Steve sat up and cocked an eyebrow. "You couldn't sleep?" he asked. This was definitely new. Since Soda had gotten home it seemed that all he ever did was sleep.

"Yeah," Soda said. He walked into the room and sat on the couch next to Steve. "Guess I slept too much yesterday and today."

"Yeah, you were pretty out of it," Steve agreed. He looked at Soda carefully. "Look, Soda, I'm sorry if what I said before upset you."

Soda shrugged as he looked over at Steve. "It was the truth," he said. "There's nothin' to stop that guy from comin' back."

"Yeah, but you got enough to worry about without me bein' an ass about it," Steve pointed out. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

"But you know it's not just me, right?" Soda said, looking over at him carefully. "You said so yourself, you were there that night too. It's not just me that has to be careful… he saw you too."

"Yeah well, no offense, but I'm in better shape than you are right now," Steve said.

"You're still not bulletproof," Soda pointed out seriously.

Steve was quiet for a minute as he thought this over. It wasn't that he hadn't realized that it was a possibility that he could be targeted too. It was more that it was easier to worry about Soda rather than worry about himself.

"We'll just have to have each other's backs, just like always," Steve said finally.

"It might not even matter," Soda sighed. "Not if me and Pony get taken away."

"That's not gonna happen," Steve said firmly.

"You don't know that," Soda replied dismally.

"No, actually I do," Steve said. He leaned over and picked up his coat off the floor, digging the envelope out of his pocket and handing it over to Soda.

Soda gave him a funny look before looking inside the envelope. His eyes widened at what he saw. "Steve, where'd the hell you get this?" he demanded.

"That's a donation from Mr. Shepherd himself," Steve said. "I went over to Buck's with Two-Bit tonight and ran into him there."

"There's got to be at least a hundred bucks in here," Soda said in shock.

"Yeah, just tell Darry not to think about where Tim probably got it from," Steve laughed. "But that should cover you guys for this week and get the social worker off your backs."

Soda nodded. "Yeah, this week and then some," he said. He looked up at Steve. "How drunk was Tim when he gave this to you?"

Steve laughed. He knew that it wasn't a crazy assumption. "He wasn't," he assured Soda. "Him and his friends weren't really partyin', they were more just hangin' out."

Soda nodded and leaned back against the couch. "This is huge," he said, still sounding a bit in awe at the turn of events.

Steve nodded. "This will help take some pressure off while we get you back to workin' again," he said. "Then things can finally start getting' back to normal."

"Yeah, let's hope so," Soda said. "When do you think boss can get me back on the schedule?"

"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Steve said. "I bet he'll be able to put you on the schedule for Tuesday after school with me."

Soda gave him a light smile. "Thanks, Steve," he said. He yawned. "I guess I should head back to bed."

"Need any help?" Steve asked.

"Just off the couch," Soda said. "I can make it from there."

Steve stood up and offered his hand. Soda took it and Steve carefully pulled him to his feet. He didn't wince and as he bid Steve goodnight he walked pretty steadily back down the hall. Steve sat back down on the couch as he heard the bedroom door close again. Soda really did seem to be getting better physically. Steve had been worried earlier when Soda seemed to almost pass out in the hallway. But it did seem like just a fluke, like he really did just try and get up and move around too quickly after lying around for so long. Steve lay back down, stretching out on the familiar couch. Maybe things really could someday go back to normal.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

"_The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once."_

_- Rene Descartes_

To say Darry was shocked the next morning when Steve showed him the envelope of money would be a gross exaggeration. He sat silently at the kitchen table and just stared at the money for a solid several minutes. It took quite a bit on convincing to get him to believe the money really came from Tim. And then even when he did believe it, it was clear he was hesitant to actually take the money. It didn't take a lot of imagination to figure that however Tim had gotten this money it hadn't been legal. Darry never approved of that kind of thing. But in the end they all had to admit that keeping the Curtis family together was more important than where exactly this money had come from.

The tension in the house immediately dissipated when Darry was able to pay off the bills he had been behind on as well as go to the grocery store, which clearly met the social worker's demands. Everybody's moods greatly improved over the course of the next few days as it really seemed like everything was going to be okay.

Soda returned to work with Steve after school on that Tuesday. Soda still seemed a little anxious when Steve picked him up after school, but they all knew that the best thing to do right now was to try and get things back to normal. Soda could still only work in the store, so Steve was in the garage for the entire shift. But Steve found himself more and more wandering to the door of the garage just to take a look around and make sure everything still seemed okay. Steve would eyeball people who were hanging around the station and when older guys went in to the store Steve would come out of the garage in order to see into the store to make sure Soda wouldn't panic. Soda seemed uncomfortable if it was just him and one other guy in the store, but he managed to hold himself together and Steve figured that was a good sign.

It was uneventful for several hours and eventually Steve started checking on Soda less and less, finding that he was quickly falling behind with his own work. It was late in the shift and he was consumed with working on the engine of an old Ford. As he turned to grab a tool off the bench next to him he gave a violent start as a figure standing in the doorway caught his eye in the fading light. As he whipped around though he found that it was just Soda standing there.

"Jesus, Soda, you scared the hell out of me," Steve said with a sigh.

"Sorry, didn't mean to," Soda said.

Steve looked at him carefully and cocked his head to one side, realizing that there was no reason for Soda to be out here right now. "Everythin' okay?"

"Yeah, it was just getting boring in there so I thought I'd go for a walk," Soda said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Steve cocked an eyebrow, not fully believing Soda's explanation. Then he eyed the fading light behind Soda. Night was falling. Then it dawned on him. Soda hadn't been here at night since he had been shot.

"If you've had enough I can drive you home real quick," Steve offered.

Soda shook his head. "It's fine," he said. "There's only another hour left. I was just startin' to feel a little… antsy."

Something still seemed off, but Steve tried to shake it off, wanting to believe that things were getting back to at least close to normal.

"Well you can hang out here until you see a customer come around," Steve said. "It'll probably be pretty slow the rest of the night anyway."

Soda nodded. He turned and put his back up against the doorframe so that he was half in the garage and half out of the garage. Steve turned to go back to work but as he glanced back over his shoulder he saw Soda was staring outside, seeming lost in thought.

"You sure you're okay?" Steve asked again, a bit uneasily. Something wasn't right.

Soda turned his head back toward him and hesitated, seeming to think over something. "I think I saw him," he finally said quietly.

Steve gave a start. "What?" he said in surprise. He didn't need to ask who Soda was talking about. The tone in his voice told Steve that he was talking about the man who shot him. Steve immediately moved over to stand in the doorway next to Soda and scanned the area outside, finding it fairly deserted.

"It was a while ago," Soda went on. "Maybe a half hour. I was helping someone in the store and I glanced outside and saw someone standing there." He pointed to the corner across the street. "Just standing there, lookin' at the store. Stood there for about ten minutes and then when I looked again he was just gone."

Steve looked at Soda, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you sure it was him?" he asked.

Soda sighed and frowned. "No," he admitted. "I mean it was already starting to get dark and he was kinda in the shadows. Maybe I just imagined it was him like I did the other day." He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

Steve glanced back around, not feeling comforted by this statement. But he found that the area was just a deserted as it had been the first time he had looked. Still, he didn't like the situation. "I'm takin' you home," he said firmly as he turned back into the garage to get his keys.

"No, Steve, I'm not goin' home," Soda tried. "It probably wasn't even him."

Steve turned to look at Soda and could tell that even he didn't really believe what he was saying. "But you think it was," he pointed out.

Soda sighed. "I don't know what to think," he said. He looked up at Steve. "But even if it was… I still can't go home 'cause then you'd be here by yourself. I'm not okay with that. So I'm gonna stick it out."

Steve was about to insist, but as he looked at Soda he saw a determination in his eyes and he knew there would be no changing his mind. If Soda really did believe that guy was around he wasn't going to leave his best friend alone here. Steve knew this because he felt the same way. He sighed in defeat. "Okay," he allowed. "But you stay here. And if a customer shows up I'll go in the store with you. Safety in numbers, you know?"

Soda nodded his agreement. Steve hesitated a minute longer before reluctantly going back to work, though he frequently glanced back at Soda to make sure he was still holding up despite what he thought he had seen. After a few minutes Soda got tired of standing and slid down against the doorframe to sit on the ground with his knees up and his arms resting on top of his knees. His eyes were still trained on the spot across the street where he may or may not have seen his would-be assassin, almost like he was keeping watch.

The final hour seemed to pass by even slower than the entire rest of the day had. A few other customers showed up and Steve stood in the doorway of the garage and watched Soda do fill ups. No one else went into the store and there were no sightings of any more mysterious figures watching the DX. Steve still felt uneasy though. What if it really had been him standing on the street corner, watching the gas station? But if it had been, why would he just leave? It made no sense.

Finally it was closing time. As they walked to Steve's car in the dark Steve noticed that Soda kept glancing around nervously. He seemed to relax slightly as they were finally in the safety of the car and Steve drove away, leaving the DX behind them.

They pulled up in front of the Curtis house and Soda was able to lift himself out of the car and they started up the walk. Despite everything Steve noticed that Soda seemed to be doing so much better physically anyway. He had been able to get through the whole shift without any major incidents. That was something positive out of the day anyway.

Inside the house Darry and Pony were both sitting in the living room. Darry was reading the paper in his recliner while Pony worked on his homework on the couch. They both looked up as Steve and Soda walked in and it was clear that they were relieved to see Soda still walking on his own and looking to be in pretty good shape.

"How was work?" Darry asked.

"It was fine," Soda said with a shrug. "Uneventful."

Darry nodded. "There's dinner in the kitchen if you're hungry."

"I think I'll take a shower first," Soda said.

Steve hesitated in the living room as Soda disappeared down the hall. After they heard the door to the bathroom securely close Darry turned back to Steve.

"So he did alright today?" he asked for confirmation.

Steve considered this for a minute. "Yeah, for the most part," he said slowly.

"For the most part?" Darry prompted, raising his eyebrows.

"Well…" Steve stalled, thinking over what he was going to say carefully. "Soda got a little spooked at one point."

"How so?" Darry asked.

"He came into the garage about an hour ago and seemed a little shook up," he said. "I finally got him to admit that he thought he saw the guy who robbed the DX."

"What do you mean he _thought_ he saw him?" Pony spoke up.

"He said that he saw a guy standing on the corner across the street just staring at the DX," Steve explained. "He seemed kind of sure that it was him when he first told me, but then he seemed to second-guess it. He said he probably imagined it like he did on Saturday."

"Did he?" Pony asked, looking worried.

Steve shrugged. "I dunno, kid," he said. "I didn't see anythin'." Darry rubbed his hand tiredly over his face and Steve felt bad for causing him more stress. "It coulda been nothin'," he pointed out.

"Yeah, or it coulda been somethin'," Darry said. Steve was silent, knowing that Darry was exactly right.

"So what do we do?" Pony asked, looking to Darry for answers.

Darry sighed. "Nothin' really happened, so there's not much we can do," he said. "Soda's not even completely sure of what he saw."

"I'm keepin' as close an eye as I can on him," Steve said. "I just thought you oughta know."

"Thanks, Steve," Darry said.

"Sure, Darry," Steve said. He paused. "You hear anythin' from the fuzz since they interviewed Soda at the hospital?"

Darry sighed. "I called them up after Soda's incident on Saturday," he said. "They said they still have no suspects though."

Steve nodded. He expected as much. In his mind the cops were pretty useless. He doubted they were even really trying. Not like if it had been a Soc that had been shot. He turned and headed for the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

He walked outside and paused on the front porch to light up a cigarette. As he stood there he glanced around the darkness surrounding him and he was suddenly struck by the eerie feeling that he was being watched. But as he didn't actually see anyone he quickly shook off the feeling, figuring he was still feeling paranoid from what Soda may or may not have seen earlier. The more he thought about it, the more he was able to convince himself that it was just another incident like the one on Saturday. If that guy really had been at the DX tonight he wouldn't have just walked away.

He inhaled deeply off his cigarette as he descended the porch steps and headed for his car.

XxXxX

Soda was able to work after school with Steve on Wednesday and Thursday. He seemed to do pretty well for the second shift, probably because he got to rest all day while everyone else was at school and work. Steve would pick him up after school and then drive him home again after work. Soda still wasn't quite up for walking the distance to work yet. The days passed uneventful enough, with Soda making no more claims of seeing the man who had shot him. There was still a tension among the group though now that the thought had been placed in their heads.

Thursday night Steve dropped Soda off at home as usual. He left his car at the Curtis house, trying to save at least a little gas, and started walking home alone. He didn't make it far that night.

Steve was just passing the vacant lot when he noticed the blue Mustang passing slowly by. He hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets as they slowed to a halt. Three Socs stumbled out of the car. It was odd for the Socs to be this far out of their territory this late at night. Steve figured they must be really plastered, which gave him an advantage. He almost laughed at the situation though. Getting jumped by a group of Socs seemed so mundane compared to what they had been through the last few weeks.

"Wha's up, Grease," one Soc sneered.

"You better get out of here before I smash all your heads in," Steve growled dangerously. If they were drunk enough he might be able to just scare them away.

"No, you watch it!" the Socs said, walking right up to him and shoving him hard.

That was enough to set him off. Steve always had the shortest fuse of all the Greasers. He lunged back at the Soc that had shoved him, tackling him to the ground hard and getting a few good punches in before the other Socs pulled him away. Steve managed to do some damage, but he was still outnumbered. One Soc got him hard in the jaw, sending him stumbling backwards. The other Soc grabbed him from behind and pinned him while the first Soc punched him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped and fell to the ground. All three of the Socs began kicking him before he had a chance to pull himself back up. One kick landed solidly on his chest and he felt a pain explode through his ribcage as he let out an involuntary yelp.

Very suddenly the attack stopped. Steve squinted up from where he lay in the dirt to see that the Socs were running to their car. Then someone was kneeling beside him.

"Steve? Steve, are you alright?"

"Darry?" Steve mumbled, confused.

"Yeah, I heard the commotion all the way up at the house," he said. "C'mon, can you stand?" Steve groaned in response. With Darry's help he slowly sat up, letting out a hiss of pain in the process. "What's hurt?"

"My ribs," Steve muttered, placing a hand gingerly to his chest. "I don't think it's broken. But it's at least cracked."

"Let's get you back up to the house," Darry said.

Slowly Darry pulled Steve up to his feet, and as he did Steve let out a long string of swear words as he cursed the Socs with everything he could think of. He leaned on Darry as they made the trek back up to the house. As they approached he saw that Pony was out on the porch and Soda was standing in the living room on the other side of the screen door, looking slightly pale.

"What happened?" Pony asked, his eyes wide at seeing the state Steve was in. "He just left five minutes ago."

"Socs jumped him down at the lot," Darry said as he helped Steve up the stairs. Steve groaned loudly.

Pony opened the door for them and they stumbled inside.

"I told you to stay inside," Steve heard Soda mumble to Pony as they passed by.

Darry helped Steve over to the couch and he gratefully lay down with a relieved sigh. His chest didn't hurt as much as it had when he had broken three ribs in that rumble a few months ago, so there definitely was less damaged, but it still hurt a lot.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Pony asked.

"Yeah, he just probably cracked some ribs," Darry said. "He just needs to take it easy for a few days."

There was a minute of silence as the implication of that statement really sunk in. Steve looked up at Soda who was looking down at him with concern. He could see what he was thinking about even before he spoke up.

"If Steve can't work…" Soda started.

"Then you ain't workin' either," Steve finished.

Soda gave him an exasperated look. "That's just stupid, Steve," he said.

"Not totally stupid," Pony said slowly.

"I can't just work only when Steve does for forever," Soda said.

Darry looked at him carefully. "You sure, Soda?" he asked.

Steve looked at Darry sharply, unsure if he had heard him right. It sounded like he was actually going to let Soda go through with going to work without him. He thought they had already agreed not to go that.

Soda nodded. "I'm sure. We still need the money, Darry. Tim's money is only gonna get us so far."

Darry sat down in his recliner, looking up at Soda tiredly. "Okay," he said slowly. "But you need to be real honest with me about your anxiety about that place right now. I need to know exactly what makes you nervous."

Soda paused and thought over his answer. He slowly sat at the end of the couch. "I've been doing better during the day time while it's still light out," he finally admitted slowly. "But after dark… I start feelin' jumpier."

Darry nodded. "Two-Bit could take to you work tomorrow and then I could pick you up on the way home from work," he said. "I'm workin' at the warehouse tomorrow so I'll be able to get over there just before you close up. I'll make sure I'm there early so you won't be alone in the dark there."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Steve asked slowly. He started to sit up. "I'm not that hurt, I could probably still-" He cut himself off with a groan as a sharp pain shot through his chest as he fell back down onto the couch.

"There is no way that you're goin' to work tomorrow," Soda said, looking at him. "Don't be stupid, I'll be fine for a couple nights workin' without you. They'll get a replacement for you so its not like I'm gonna be there by myself." He paused. "You can't babysit me forever."

Steve sighed and winced. He could see why Darry wasn't really fighting it. It was true; they couldn't keep Soda under the microscope forever. At some point Soda was going to have to go to work without Steve. Physically he was almost back to normal except for still being a bit tired. And emotionally he seemed to be better as well, no more panic attacks that any of them knew about anyway. They all wanted things to get back to normal. Maybe this was the way to do it.

"Get some rest, Steve," Darry said. He stood up and looked around at his younger brothers. "C'mon, you two should get some sleep too."

As Soda, Pony and Darry all headed to bed Steve stretched out, doing his best to get at least a bit comfortable. He was aching all over and it felt like there was a fire radiating through his ribcage. He knew that it was going to be a restless night. He could only hope that from here on out things would begin to smooth over.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

_You better pray that theres  
Another way out  
You better pray that  
Someones listening now  
(And doesn't wanna watch you drown)_

_- Shinedown (Cry for Help)_

With Steve out of commission at least for a few days Soda had to make the trip to work by himself for the first time since he had been shot. As much as he tried to put on a brave face for everyone else the whole thing made him more uncomfortable than he would care to admit even to himself. But he knew that they needed the money and more than ever he didn't want a different job. He knew that he just had to grit his teeth and get through this. He couldn't be afraid for his entire life.

The first night went okay. One of their coworkers Mark filled in for Steve, and Soda certainly didn't mind him. But he quickly found that it did put him more on edge not having Steve there with him. As he sat behind the counter in the store he found himself glancing outside nervously every few minutes as the day went on. And he only became even more nervous after the sun went down and the area took on a more sinister look. Soda was extremely grateful when Darry showed up a half hour early to pick him up, hanging out in the store with him until it was time to close. Darry definitely brought with him a feeling of safety.

The next day Steve still wasn't feeling up to going to work, but Two-Bit moved him to his house since Steve was still being stubborn about eating while at the Curtis' house. Soda felt disappointed when Steve still wasn't able to go to work with him. He was realizing more and more how Steve provided a sense of security for him at work. But Soda knew he just had to suck it up and go to work without him again. They needed the paycheck.

Mark was back as a replacement for Steve that evening. It was a pretty uneventful shift, even with Soda still feeling jumpy. He kept his eye on the clock and luckily with how busy Saturday nights usually were the time was moving pretty quick. Soon he was counting down the minutes until closing time. But as the time got closer he found himself feeling more nervous. He kept on checking the parking lot for the familiar truck but it didn't come.

"Hey, you ready to close up?" Mark said, walking into the store at nine o'clock that night.

Soda sent another anxious glance at the parking lot. Then he nodded. "Yeah, sure," he agreed.

Soda closed down the cash register before reluctantly heading for the door, shutting off the lights before heading outside and locking the door behind him. Clearly Mark had already closed up the garage. They paused outside as Mark lit up a cigarette. Soda was still scanning the parking lot in vain, wondering where on Earth Darry could be.

"You got a ride comin'?" Mark asked, looking over at Soda.

"Yeah, my brother's supposed to be pickin' me up," Soda said.

Mark glanced around the empty parking lot. "He gonna be here soon?"

"Should be," Soda said, feeling tense. He couldn't imagine why Darry would be so late, especially given the situation. He grasped for any kind of explanation. "He musta got held up at work." He sure hoped the answer was as simple as that.

"Well I gotta head out," Mark said slowly. He looked over at Soda a bit critically. "You gonna be okay here?"

Obviously Mark knew all about what happened a few weeks ago. Soda also suspected that his panic attack last weekend had gotten around at least with his coworkers. But Soda didn't know Mark well enough to ask him to stay. He didn't want to appear weak either.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Soda assured him, hoping he sounded steadier than he felt.

"Okay," Mark said with a shrug. "See you around." He shoved his hands in his pockets and started off. Soda watched him as he disappeared into the night.

Soda stood in front of the DX, looking around as he felt panic bubbling just below the surface. He suddenly really wished that he had a cigarette. As the minutes passed he was feeling more and more antsy. He scanned the shadows around him and kept on thinking he saw figures lurking in them. Ten minutes later he was at the end of his wits. Home wasn't that far away. He could be almost home by now if he had left right at closing. And he couldn't just stand here any longer.

Soda started walking quickly, but before he even crossed the parking lot he very suddenly came to a stop as he saw a figure moving around just on the other side of the street. His heart was suddenly pounding and his hands were shaking as he gasped for breath. Suddenly he was running. All rational thought flew out of his head. All he knew was that he had to get as far away from there as possible.

XxXxX

Darry couldn't believe how late he was running. First his boss at the warehouse had held him after to talk to him about his hours and then when he finally got out of there he was stuck in traffic because of a bad accident. As he pulled up to the DX station a half hour late he wasn't surprised to find that it was deserted. Just to be sure though he parked the truck and walked up to the door, peering inside the darkened store. There was no sign of life. Darry sighed, figuring that Soda probably had been too nervous to wait around for him by himself and must have decided to walk home. He felt bad but luckily it wasn't a far walk and Soda had been feeling pretty good lately. Physically anyway.

As Darry headed back toward the truck a cold, light drizzle began to fall. He sighed, hoping that Soda had left long enough ago that he was home by now. It took next to no time for Darry to drive home even though he drove slower than usual, keeping an eye on the side of the road in case Soda was still walking, but there was no sign of him. Soon Darry was hurrying into the house just as the rain began to come down harder. He entered the living room to find that it was uncomfortably empty.

"Pony?" he called, putting down his tool belt. "Soda?"

He heard movement coming from down the hall and soon Pony appeared in the doorway.

"Hey Darry," he said.

"Hey," Darry said. "Is Soda here?"

Pony gave him a funny look. "No," he said slowly. "Weren't you supposed to pick him up from work?"

Darry swore and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I was late and by the time I got there it was already closed and everyone was gone."

"Where do you think he went?" Pony asked, worry in his voice.

Darry sighed. "I dunno," he said. He glanced back toward the door, noticing the rainstorm was quickly turning into a downpour. His stomach twisted up at the thought of Soda being outside in this with his weakened immune system. He quickly decided there was no time to waste. "Call up Steve and Two-Bit, maybe he managed to get a hold of them. I'm gonna go drive around and see if I can find him in case he tried to walk."

Without waiting for Pony to respond Darry turned and hurried back out to the truck, ducking inside before he could get too wet. He started up the engine and tore out of the driveway, heading back in the direction of the DX. If Soda had gone in the direction of the house he would have seen him, though he had no idea why he would go in any other direction. He started driving around, squinting through the rain as his windshield wipers worked furiously.

Twenty minutes had passed and he had covered most of the neighborhood. He was starting to lose hope. He tried to tell himself that Soda had simply gotten another ride, but the logical part of his mind kept telling him that if he had gotten a ride he would have been at home. Soda didn't go out these days he was too tired. He was quickly starting to get a real bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Deep down he knew something was very wrong. And he couldn't help but remember how Soda thought he saw the guy who shot him earlier in the week in front of the DX. He did his best to put that thought out of his head. If he thought too much about that he would quickly pass into full-blown panic. Soda had to be okay, he just had to be. Darry just had to find him.

Just as Darry was just deciding to turn back and see if Soda had shown up at home yet a figure caught his eye. He was in the complete opposite direction of the house from the DX, almost in Soc territory. The figure was huddled under a tree that provided minimum cover just off the side of the road. As his headlights hit the figure he looked up and Darry immediately recognized his brother. He quickly pulled over to the side of the road and reached over and threw open the passenger door.

"Soda!" he called.

Before he could even think about getting out of the truck Soda had shot up and sprinted over, clamoring in and slamming the door behind him. Darry studied him in the dim light. He was wearing his DX uniform – jeans and a short sleeved shirt under his vest – but no jacket. He was soaked to the bone and shivering uncontrollably. After glancing around the truck Darry was kicking himself for not thinking to bring a jacket or a blanket or something.

"Soda, what happened?" Darry asked.

"Y-you weren't there," Soda said, his teeth chattering as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"Why were you all the way out here though?" Darry asked. He reached over and flipped on the heat as high as it would go, but it didn't work very well in his truck. "Why didn't you go home?"

"I-I dunno," Soda stuttered, looking up at him with wide eyes. "I g-got confused."

"Oh Soda," Darry said. He reached out his arm. "C'mere." Soda immediately slid over on the seat and tucked himself under Darry's arm, curling up into his side. Darry wrapped his arm around him and rubbed his brother's arm, feeling how cold he was. "You're freezing," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," Soda whispered.

"Hey, I'm the one who's sorry," Darry said, squeezing Soda in closer in an attempt to warm him up. "I shoulda been there." He paused then reached over with his other hand to shift the truck back into drive. "C'mon, let's get you home and warmed up."

As Darry started driving he put one hand on the wheel while he kept the other arm wound protectively around Soda, hoping to share some of his body heat. He felt panic bubbling just below the surface though he was doing his best to appear calm so as not to scare his brother. Soda was soaking wet and freezing. If he didn't get sick from this it would be some kind of miracle. And if he did get sick… he didn't even want to think about that.

He drove as quickly as he could back to the house. When they pulled into the driveway Soda was still shivering and Darry was seriously beginning to worry. He opened the door and climbed out into the downpour, reaching back up to help Soda out behind him. Soda kept his arms wrapped securely around himself and as they hurried into the house Darry leaned over him with his arm around him in a small attempt to protect him from the rain.

As they entered the house Darry saw that it was much less empty than it had been before. Steve and Two-Bit must have run over right after Pony had called them. Steve was sitting on the couch, still obviously sore from his injury, and Two-Bit and Pony were standing around with a look of worry on their faces. Darry saw relief wash over their features as they saw who had entered, but the worry was quickly back as they saw what kind of condition Soda was in.

"Pony, go warm up the shower," Darry said immediately, not wanting to waste any time. Pony disappeared and a moment later he heard the shower turn on. "Someone get me a blanket." Darry had Soda sit on the couch and quickly pulled off his soaking wet vest and t-shirt and tossed them to the floor, his eyes lingering on the angry scars that were still clearly visible on his abdomen and his arm. Steve appeared at his side a moment later, throwing a blanket around Soda's shoulders. Darry pulled the blanket more securely around him and rubbed his arms through the blanket, trying his best to warm him up.

"What happened?" Steve demanded.

"I was late picking him up," Darry said.

Before he could explain any further Pony came back into the living room. "The shower's warm," he said.

"Do you need any help?" Darry asked Soda.

"No, I'm okay," Soda said. He was still shivering.

Darry nodded and allowed Soda to get up on his own and watched him head for the bathroom. Darry then went to Soda's room, pulling out some dry clothes for him. As he entered the bathroom Soda was already in the shower with the curtain drawn.

"I got some dry clothes for you here," Darry told him as he placed the clothes on top of the closed toilet lid.

"Thanks," Soda said.

Darry bent down and picked up Soda's discarded jeans. "Call if you need anything," he said as he headed back out of the room. He closed the door most of the way, but left it open just a crack so that they would be able to hear if Soda called for them or collapsed or something. Darry returned to the living room, gathering up the rest of Soda's wet clothes.

"I don't get it," Steve said, looking at him critically. "Pony said you had already checked the DX and he wasn't there. If you were late why didn't he just walk home?"

Darry sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes. "I think he tried to," he said slowly. "He said he got confused. I guess he got lost."

There was silence for several long seconds as this information sunk in.

"But… but how could he get lost walkin' from the DX to here?" Pony asked, disbelief in his voice. "He's walked home tons of times."

"All he said was that he got confused," Darry repeated tiredly.

"He couldn't forget how to get home, could he?" Pony asked, looking up at him with concern in his eyes.

"The doctor said that the short term memory loss was supposed to get better," Steve pointed out. "And how to get home ain't exactly short term memory anyway, he's lived here his whole life."

"Yeah, it definitely isn't," Darry agreed. Honestly he wasn't quite sure what to make of all this. "I think maybe he panicked, being there by himself at night. He probably wasn't thinkin' real clearly." It was the only explanation that made any kind of sense.

They all heard the shower shut off and they paused. A few minutes later Soda reappeared in the living room, dressed in the fresh clothes and his hair still a little damp from the shower. He looked worn.

"How are you feelin'?" Darry asked.

"Tired," he said. "I'm sorry about runnin' off Darry. I didn't mean to, I just…" His thought trailed off.

"It's okay, little buddy," Darry assured him. As he studied him he saw that Soda still looked a little pale and a little unsteady. Darry stood and carefully approached Soda. "How 'bout you go lay down?"

"Yeah, okay," Soda said vaguely. He turned and Darry watched him shuffle down the hallway and disappear into his bedroom.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Pony asked carefully.

Darry sighed heavily, still looking down the hallway. "We'll have to see," he said slowly. "I'll go in and take is temperature in a little bit. No point in taking his temperature right after a hot shower."

Pony nodded, looking about as worried as Darry felt. This wasn't a good situation and they all knew it. Soda was already worn down from all the stress he had been under. Darry had a real bad feeling about what was about to happen. And he couldn't help but feel like it was all his fault.

Two-Bit and Steve hung around that night, both anxious to find out what was going to happen. They were all pretty quiet, turning on the TV for background noise but none of them really paying attention. It was getting really late and Pony was starting to doze off on the couch. Darry knew that he couldn't put it off any longer. He sighed as he stood up.

"C'mon Pony, you should get to bed," Darry said. "I'm gonna check Soda's temperature before you go to sleep."

"Okay," Pony said, standing up.

As Pony went into the bedroom Darry turned and headed for the bathroom. He dug out the thermometer and then gave Pony a few minutes to get changed. When he walked into the room Pony was just climbing into bed. Soda was already sound asleep.

"Hey Soda," Darry said gently as he shook his brother. "Hey, wake up a minute."

Soda groaned lightly as he rolled over. "Huh?" he mumbled.

"C'mon, I just need to take your temperature," Darry coaxed.

"Hmmm," Soda mumbled clearly only half awake.

Darry managed to prop him up on some pillows in order to take his temperature. Darry and Pony both waited tensely. Finally when the beep went off Darry took the thermometer and read it with a grim expression.

"What is it?" Pony asked.

Darry glance back down at Soda who was already drifting off again. "99.8," he said.

"Well, that's not too bad," Pony reasoned, clearly looking for a silver lining. "It was higher than that before and it came back down on it's own."

"Yeah, but we still gotta keep a close eye on him tonight," Darry said. "I'll be back again later to check again."

"You gotta work in the mornin', Darry," Pony pointed out.

"This is more important," Darry insisted. "Try and get some sleep."

"You try and get some sleep too," Pony said as he lay down.

Darry headed back out of the bedroom. As he entered the living room he found that Steve and Two-Bit hadn't moved.

"Well?" Steve asked.

"He's got a slight temperature of 99.8," Darry told them as he sat back down in the recliner.

"Oh, man," Two-Bit said. "If it's already starting to go up after just a few hours…" He let the thought trail off.

"Yeah, I know," Darry said with a sigh. "I'm gonna keep a close eye on him tonight. I'll check his temperature again in a few hours."

"I'll stick around too," Steve said.

"Yeah, I can too," Two-Bit said. "I've got tonight off."

Darry nodded, thankful that they were able to stay as well. Then he settled himself into the recliner for what he knew was going to be a very long and trying night.


	34. Chapter 34

Author's Note: Okay here's my disclaimer… this chapter was written under the influence of a lot of exhaustion. I hope it's not too bad! I was actually out of town last week so I also apologize for not responding to all the reviews on the last chapter (there's so many these days it's hard to keep up with, which makes me feel awesome) but thank you so much to everyone who reviews! I love reviewers! :)

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

_I created the sound of madness.  
Wrote the book on pain.  
Somehow I'm still here to explain,  
That the darkest hour never comes in the night.  
You can sleep with a gun.  
When you gonna wake up and fight... for yourself?_

_- Shinedown (Sound of Madness)_

As Pony awoke very suddenly that night, he wasn't immediately sure what was going on. He blinked sleepily as his eyes wandered around his darkened bedroom. He was about to brush off whatever had happened and go back to sleep when he heard it again. Coughing. He rolled over to look at Soda, finding him curled on his side with his back to him, coughing hard. Slowly Pony sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"Soda?" Pony said worriedly as he put a hand on Soda's shoulder.

Slowly Soda rolled over and looked up at him blearily. "I don't feel good, Pone," he mumbled.

Pony carefully reached over and put a hand on his forehead. "Soda, you're burning up!" he said in surprise. "I'll go get Darry."

Without waiting for a response Pony leapt out of bed and hurried out of the room. Out in the hallway he was confused for a moment as he found that Darry's bedroom door was still open and his bed appeared empty. Then he heard the TV still on in the living room. He turned and quickly made his way down the hallway, finding the living room darkened except for the light coming off the little black and white television. Pony could just barely make out Darry's form in the recliner leaning to one side, fast asleep. At a glance Pony saw that Two-Bit and Steve had both dozed off on either side of the couch.

"Darry," Pony said in an urgent whisper as he approached the recliner. He shook Darry's shoulder. "Darry, wake up!"

Darry jerked up suddenly, his eyes searching the room for a moment before resting on Pony. "Pony?" he said confusedly. He pushed himself up in the recliner. "Pony, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Soda's coughing and he's really warm," Pony said worriedly.

That was all that needed to be said. Darry was up in a second, already heading down the hallway. He stopped off in the bathroom to retrieve the thermometer before heading into the bedroom. Pony followed behind him. Darry flipped on the light before approaching the bed.

"Hey Soda," Darry said gently as Soda looked over at him as he crouched down next to the bed. Pony hovered nervously behind him.

"I don't feel good," Soda moaned, looking up at Darry with worry in his eyes. He knew just as well as the rest of them what this could mean.

"Let's see what you're temperature is," Darry said. "Open up."

Soda obediently held the thermometer under his tongue. They waited tensely. Finally Darry took the thermometer and read the temperature.

"102.4," Darry said flatly.

Pony gasped as his stomach fell. "What do we do?" he said, looking to Darry.

"We've got to take him to the hospital," Darry said as he stood up. "Get dressed."

"No, no hospital," Soda murmured. "We can't afford it." He coughed hard.

"We'll make it work, little buddy," Darry assured him. "Don't worry about that right now."

Pony felt relieved that Darry wasn't swayed by the idea of their money trouble. The most important thing was to try and help Soda.

Pony was just pulling on a t-shirt when another figure appeared in the doorway.

"What's goin' on?" Two-Bit said sleepily.

"Soda's got a fever," Darry explained. "We gotta take him to the hospital."

Two-Bit cursed, suddenly looking much more awake. Then he turned and disappeared from the room, presumably to go wake Steve. Pony hurried back over to the bed just as Darry was helping Soda sit up. He looked awfully pale and suddenly he doubled over with a coughing fit, gasping for breath. Darry took his hand for comfort as they waited for the fit to pass.

"He okay?"

They turned to see both Steve and Two-Bit in the doorway. Steve was the one who had spoken.

"My chest hurts," Soda moaned as he gasped for breath as the coughing finally passed.

"C'mon, little buddy," Darry urged, putting an arm around him. "Up on your feet. We gotta get you to the hospital."

With Darry's help Soda slowly stood up, looking a bit unsteady. He leaned heavily on Darry as they made their way out into the hallway, Two-Bit and Steve quickly moving out of the way. They made it to the living room before Soda stopped, hit by another violent coughing fit as he doubled over and grabbed his chest. They all paused, but after a few minutes Darry seemed to get too anxious to wait out the fit. He shifted around and a moment later had picked Soda right up off his feet. Soda curled up in Darry's arms, still coughing hard. Pony hurried in front of him to open the door.

As they hurried outside they found that the rain had died down to a light drizzle. Pony pulled open the door to the truck so that Darry could carefully place Soda up on the seat. Just before Pony climbed in after him he saw Steve and Two-Bit jump into the bed of the truck. Clearly they were coming to the hospital as well.

Darry drove very quickly to the hospital and luckily the roads were pretty empty that this late hour. As they drove Soda leaned over on Pony, resting his head against Pony's shoulder. Pony reached over with his other hand and felt Soda's forehead again.

"He feels like he's gettin' even hotter," Pony said, looking over at Darry with concern in his eyes.

Darry sent him a tense glance as he pushed down on the accelerator even harder. Finally they were pulling in to the hospital parking lot. Darry was able to find a spot right up front, hastily shutting off the truck before jumping out. By the time Pony had his door open Darry was already there. Pony carefully shifted over, reaching back to hold Soda up so that he wouldn't fall over. Darry moved closer and reached out to support Soda so that Pony could climb out. He stood with Two-Bit and Steve as Darry carefully picked up Soda again, wincing slightly as he did so. Soda was awful big to be carried.

As they started toward the hospital Two-Bit ran ahead of them. He came back a moment later with a wheelchair. Darry gratefully placed Soda down in the chair and they continued in through the front doors of the emergency room. The waiting area was virtually empty at this time of night, so they were able to walk right up to the reception desk.

"My brother's got a high fever," Darry said without waiting for the nurse to address him. "He's been coughing pretty bad too. He had sepsis about a month ago and the doctor said his immune system was weakened."

"What's his name?" the nurse questioned.

"Sodapop Curtis," Darry answered.

The nurse flipped through a few files in front of her and Pony couldn't help but shift around anxiously. "What was the physician's name?"

"Dr. Evans," Darry responded immediately.

The nurse flipped through a few more files. "Dr. Evans isn't in tonight, so we'll get him the on call doctor," the nurse said. "We'll get him to a room right away."

She spoke with another nurse quickly who came around the desk and took Darry's spot behind the wheelchair. They all followed down the hallway and to the elevator. They went up to the second floor before the nurse took them into a room. Darry helped Soda from the wheelchair into the bed and as the nurse began checking him over Pony couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was painfully similar to just a month ago when Soda had been last hospitalized and had ended up having to fight for his life due to a severe infection. He couldn't help but fear that this was going to be like that again. He wasn't sure he could watch his brother go through all that again. But he knew he would if he had to.

"He's got a temperature of 103," the nurse read after she had taken his temperature.

"It was 102 just twenty minutes ago, back at home," Darry said tensely.

Pony felt his stomach drop as Soda coughed hard. His temperature was going up awfully fast. This couldn't be good.

"The doctor will be in in just a few minutes," the nurse said. Then she turned and left.

Soda rolled over onto his side as he coughed. Pony carefully perched himself on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on Soda's back and rubbed it much as he could remember Soda doing for him when he was sick. As Soda looked up at him after he had finished coughing his eyes looked glazed over.

"I don't feel good," he mumbled again. The fact that he kept repeating himself was really beginning to worry Pony.

"I know," Pony said softly. "The doctor will help though. You'll get better." He hoped he sounded more sure than he felt.

Darry sat down in a chair next to the bed, looking worn and exhausted. Two-Bit and Steve stood at the end of the bed, mirrored expressions of grim concern on their faces. They were all quiet as the waited for the doctor; Soda's ragged breathing the only noise in the room. It was too much like last time Soda was here and suddenly Pony felt himself begin to tear up. He quickly looked down, blinking furiously to try and hide it. He only looked up when he felt Darry's hand on his knee.

"It'll be okay, Pony," he said steadily.

Pony only nodded in response, not trusting his own voice.

Finally a man in a white lab coat walked briskly into the room. "Hello, I'm Dr. Miller," he said. He picked up the chart from the foot of Soda's bed, quietly reviewing it for a moment. He replaced the chart after a moment as he approached the bed Pony stood and moved away to give him room. The doctor had Soda rolled back over on his back so that he could examine him. As he pulled out his stethoscope he seemed to take an extra long time to listen to Soda's breathing.

"Well?" Steve said impatiently after a few minutes.

Dr. Miller straightened up and replaced his stethoscope around his neck. He glanced around at the boys around him. "Does Sodapop have a parent or a guardian here?" he asked.

"I'm his guardian," Darry spoke up, sitting up a bit straighter.

"It sounds to me like there is fluid in his lungs, which indicates the beginning stages of pneumonia," the doctor said, focusing on Darry. "I'm going to send him down for a chest x-ray to confirm. I don't believe the lab is very backed up tonight so we should be able to get him in fairly quickly. As we wait for the results I'm going to go ahead and start in on some general antibiotics just to be safe, given his recent medical history."

Darry nodded, looking grave. "Thank you," he said.

"A nurse will be in soon to take him down for the x-ray," Dr. Miller told them as he replaced the chart. "I will be back when we have the results."

As the doctor left the room there was a tense silence, broken by the sound of Soda coughing. "Pneumonia," Soda mumbled looking over at Darry. "That's bad, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," Darry said gently as he reached over and placed a hand on Soda's shoulder. "We caught it early. It's gonna be okay, Pepsi-Cola."

Soda nodded, accepting Darry's answer. Only a few minutes later a nurse came into the room with a wheelchair.

"I need to take Sodapop down for some x-rays," the nurse said.

"C'mon," Darry said turning to Soda. He helped him sit up and then carefully shift from the bed into the wheelchair.

"Can you come with me?" Soda asked quietly, looking up at Darry.

Darry looked over at the nurse who shook her head lightly. "I gotta wait here," Darry said. "We'll all be right here when you're done though."

Soda nodded tiredly as the nurse pushed him forward and a second later they had disappeared from the room. After watching him go Pony settled himself into the chair next to Darry.

"You should get some sleep, Pony," Darry suggested. "It's late."

Pony shook his head. "I couldn't sleep now even if I wanted to," he muttered.

Darry sighed. "Yeah, I get that," he admitted.

"Do you really think Soda'll be okay?" Pony asked, looking up at Darry.

Darry was quiet for a moment. "We'll have to wait and see what the test results show," he finally said quietly.

"I just hate that he's back here again," Pony said.

"Ain't none of us thrilled about it," Steve muttered moodily.

"He doesn't seem as bad as last time," Two-Bit pointed out. "He at least seems to know what's goin' on, you know?"

"Yeah, that's true," Pony agreed, feeling only marginally better.

They all settled in, anxiously waiting for Soda to return. It took about an hour before the nurse finally brought Soda back. He looked even more tired and worn than when he left and was hardly able to make it from the wheelchair back into bed, even with Darry's help. As Darry helped him get settled Pony noticed that there were tremors running through Soda's whole body. His stomach dropped at the sight, remembering how he had trembled violently when he had been septic. Soda hardly seemed to notice as the nurse pricked his hand with a needle to hook him up to the IV of antibiotics.

"The doctor will be back soon with the results," the nurse told them before she left.

Soda looked around the room blearily before his gaze rested on Pony. Slowly he reached out a hand and Pony leaned forward and carefully took it, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay, Pony," Soda murmured, his eyes glazed over with fever. "It's gonna be okay."

Pony was quiet as he looked down at his brother, bedridden in the hospital, trembling and hooked up to an IV again. _I sure hope so, Soda,_ he thought to himself.


	35. Chapter 35

**_Author's Note:_** Sorry this is a little late guys, I had a really crazy week. But I worked really hard to get this chapter out tonight. It's a little bit of a filler, but I still have a definite direction that I am moving with all of this so please hang in there with me. And to those of you also reading my other story, _Even Heroes Have the Right to Bleed_, I do hope to get that story updated either tomorrow or Tuesday. Thanks for all your support and your patience!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

"_If you don't get sick, you won't get well."_

_- Jodi Picoult (__My Sister's Keeper)_

Darry watched as Soda drifted back to sleep while they waited for his test results, his hand still holding on to Pony's. The tremors seemed to have died down a bit as he rested, but there was still a thin sheen of sweat covering his face and neck from fever. He was also still coughing hard, half-waking up every so often from it but falling back asleep almost immediately after it passed due to exhaustion.

Soda had been trying to put on a brave face for Pony's sake before he had fallen asleep, but it was painfully obvious that he was scared. He knew as well as the rest of them that an infection was much more complicated for him because of his weakened immune system. And as far as infections went, they all knew that pneumonia was on the high end in terms of severity.

"What's takin' so damn long," Steve muttered. He had yet to sit down since they had arrived and would alternate between pacing around the room and standing up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest looking angry.

Darry glanced down at his watch. A little over an hour had passed since Soda had come back from getting his x-rays. It did seem to be taking an awfully long time. He also realized just how late it was getting. It was passed two in the morning. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. None of them had dared fall asleep, not even Pony. There was too much tension in the room.

"I'm sure they're goin' as quickly as they can," Darry mumbled without much enthusiasm.

Steve snorted but didn't make a comment.

"You wanna sit or somethin'?" Two-Bit spoke up. He had managed to find another couple chairs and was sitting in one on the other side of the bed, the chair next to him vacant.

"No," Steve said flatly.

"Yeah, well _I _want you to sit," Two-Bit said pointedly. "You're makin' me nervous with all your pacing."

Steve was about to retort when Dr. Miller came back into the room. Everyone sat up and Steve studied him for a moment before moving to sit in the seat next to Two-Bit. Dr. Miller was followed by a nurse holding another bag of clear IV fluid. Darry considered briefly trying to wake Soda so that he could hear the news. But he quickly decided against it, figuring that Soda needed to rest anyway.

"I just got the results of the chest x-ray," Dr. Miller said, confirming what they had already guessed. "Sodapop has pneumonia." It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. They hardly even took notice of the nurse that was hooking up the new bag of antibiotics. "The good news is we caught it early, but it is progressing very quickly so we are going to be very aggressive with our treatment in order to hopefully avoid any major complications."

"So… is he gonna be okay?" Pony asked carefully. Darry shot him a sympathetic look. He felt bad for the kid. He and Soda were so close; it had to be really hard on Pony to see Soda like this… again. Not that it wasn't hard on the rest of them too.

"We are hopeful," Dr. Miller said gently as he nodded his head. "But we will have to wait and see how his body reacts to the medicine." He glanced around at the rest of them. "I took a good look at Sodapop's chart from his last visit. Given the amount of time he spent septic there is a good chance that there was some severe damage to his immune system. I know this has already been explained to you, but I just want you to understand that unless you had kept Sodapop in a plastic bubble, he was bound to get sick again at some point. The important thing is that you were obviously keeping a close eye on him in order to catch it at this time of night. Catching infections early will be the key to getting Sodapop through this while his immune system recovers. Just an hour or two could make all the difference in the world."

Darry wasn't quite sure how this doctor had picked up on the guilt in the room, but it was nice in a way to be reassured that this wasn't an unusual circumstance given the situation.

"How long do you think it'll take for his immune system to get back to normal?" Darry asked.

"Well, his immune system may never really be normal again," Dr. Miller said slowly. "But as time goes on he should start developing more resistance to infections. The biggest danger zone for complications when he gets sick will be within the first three months of the original infection. After that things should gradually begin to even out. After six months I would expect there will be a big improvement with how his immune system will handle infections, but everyone heals at different rates." He paused briefly. "For now we'll just focus on getting him through these next few days. I will be back to check on him in about an hour."

"Thank you," Darry said sincerely.

Things were quiet as the doctor left the room, but there was just a small bit of relief among the gang. It was a minor comfort to get the assurances from the doctor that they had at least done something right. They were brought back to the present as Soda coughed hard and moaned in pain as his eyes fluttered open.

"Ow," Soda groaned quietly, his voice raspy and his breathing heavy.

"It's okay, little buddy," Darry assured him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Darry paused, then couldn't help but ask. "Do you know where you are, Soda?"

"In the hospital," Soda answered after only a short pause. Darry felt relieved to see that despite the fever Soda was still coherent enough to understand what was going on. Things already looked better than they did last time he was sick in the hospital. "Did you find out what's wrong with me?" He still sounded tired and a little out of it, but at least he was still able to talk to them.

Darry sighed. He hated having to tell his brother this, but he knew that he couldn't lie to him. "Yeah, the doctor just left," he said gently. He hesitated but then he forced himself to continue. "You have pneumonia, Pepsi-Cola." Soda looked distressed. "It's gonna be okay though," he went on quickly. "The doctor said we caught it early and it was still in the beginning stages."

"I'm gonna be okay?" Soda asked.

"Yes, you are," Darry said firmly.

Soda at least seemed comforted by his words, and Darry prayed to anyone that might be listening that he wasn't lying to his younger brother. Slowly Soda drifted off again and Darry was glad he was able to get some rest. He knew that he desperately needed it right now.

"Hey Darry?" Darry looked tiredly over at Two-Bit. "Uh… are you goin' to work today?"

Darry let out a tired sigh as he rubbed his eyes. If he was going to work he had to be there in about four hours. He looked over at his sick, sleeping brother. And then he thought about the bills at home and how close he had already come to having his brothers taken away from him. He couldn't miss any work.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he said dismally.

"Shouldn't you go home and go to bed then?" Pony asked slowly.

Darry rubbed his eyes tiredly. "No, I'll hang around here," he said.

"You sure?" Two-Bit asked slowly. "We can keep an eye on Soda, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Darry agreed. "I just… feel better if I'm here."

"You should at least try and get some sleep," Pony pointed out.

Darry smiled lightly over at Pony. "You know, I didn't thank you for keepin' such a good eye on Soda tonight. You were the one who was able to catch his fever so quickly."

Pony looked a little startled, but then quickly his expression changed to pride at being acknowledged that way. "Yeah sure," he said with a smile. "He's my brother too you know."

Darry nodded.

"It's not all about you all the time, Darry," Two-Bit said with a grin. "Now get some sleep. We don't need you fallin' off the roof tomorrow from exhaustion."

"Yeah, okay," Darry agreed. He stretched out in the chair he was sitting in. He felt comforted being near his sick brother, but he was even more comforted by the fact that he knew that Pony, Steve and Two-Bit were watching over him. And slowly he was able to drift off to sleep right there in his chair.

XxXxX

Darry must have been exhausted because it took him no time at all to fall asleep sitting up in his chair. The rest of the gang quietly kept watch over Soda. He continued to cough horribly and even when he wasn't coughing slowly it was starting to seem like his breathing was becoming more labored as he slept. It was making everyone nervous.

Steve frowned and shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he looked at his best friend. "His breathing is gettin' worse," he said in an undertone, not wanting to disturb either Soda or Darry.

"The doc should be back soon," Two-Bit spoke up glancing down at his watch.

"Maybe not soon enough though," Steve said. He suddenly stood, coming to a quick decision. "I'm gonna go get a nurse."

He headed out into the deserted hallway. The hospital was a little eerie this late at night, but he already knew all about that from the last time Soda was in this hospital. He knew that Soda getting sick again had been pretty inevitable but he still hated seeing him like that. How many times were they supposed sit at his bedside and watch him suffer like this?

"Hey, can someone come check on Sodapop Curtis?" Steve said as he approached the nurse's station. "He's startin' to have a hard time breathin'."

"Of course," one of the nurses said, hurrying out from behind the desk. She followed Steve back to Soda's room. Soda was still sound asleep but his breathing was shallow. The nurse used her stethoscope to listen to his chest for a minute. "It sounds like there is quite a bit of fluid in his lungs," she said. "The doctor may want to drain it with a needle. But for now I will put him on oxygen."

"Drain it with a needle?" Pony said after the nurse had left. He looked pale. "You mean they'd stick a needle into his lungs?"

"I dunno," Two-Bit said. "That's what it sounds like."

"Sounds painful," Pony said unsurely.

"Yeah it does," Steve agreed as he slumped back down in his chair.

"Maybe they won't have to," Two-Bit said, trying but failing to sound hopeful.

Steve snorted. "With our luck?" he said. "Not likely."

The nurse returned with an oxygen tank that she set up next to Soda's bed. He stirred as she placed the mask over his nose and mouth, but seemed to drift off again after it was in place. Several minutes passed and he seemed to be breathing a bit easier. That was something anyway. The nurse informed them that the doctor would be by in a few minutes before she left.

As Dr. Miller returned he took in Darry's sleeping form and was thankfully quiet as he went about checking Soda over again. They all knew that despite everything Darry needed to get some sleep, especially if he was going to make it to work in a few hours.

"His temperature has gone up a bit," the doctor told the three of them. "It's not in a danger zone yet, but it's close. I'm going to have a nurse come in and check it every half hour. There is definitely fluid in his lungs, but as his breathing seems to have evened out with the oxygen I would like to avoid any invasive procedures right now."

"So you're not gonna drain it with a needle?" Pony asked.

The doctor shook his head. "Not yet," he said. "But we'll keep a close eye on it. Right now he just needs a lot of rest." He glanced around at the boys in the room. "As do the rest of you. You should all try and get some rest tonight so that you don't get sick yourselves. I will make sure the nurses come in often to check on Sodapop's condition."

They all nodded vaguely and the doctor turned and left the room. It was hard to let go of the feeling of responsibility they had toward Soda and let the hospital staff take over, but they all knew it was for the best that they not get sick as well.

By the time the nurse came in to check Soda's temperature again, Darry was still sound asleep leaning back in his chair. Ponyboy was doubled over in his chair with his head resting on the edge of Soda's hospital bed. Two-Bit had moved his chair up against the wall and his head rested up against it as he snored lightly. The only one still awake was Steve, sitting up near the head of the bed with his elbow resting on the bed and his chin resting in his hand. He would drift off every so often, but only for a few minutes at a time before he would jerk awake again. He knew it was foolish to stay up but he just couldn't bring himself to sleep right now.

_Just keep fightin', Soda,_ he thought to himself. _We'll be here for you, but you gotta keep fightin'. _


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is a little late, it ended up being a very busy weekend. But on the bright side, today is actually S.E. Hinton's birthday! So I get to call this chapter a birthday tribute to a wonderful woman who is a huge inspiration to me. Happy Birthday S.E. Hinton! :)

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

_So give me the drug, keep me alive_  
_ Give me what's left of my life_  
**_ Don't let me go_**  
_ Pull this plug, let me breathe_  
_ On my own, I'm finally free_  
**_ Don't let me go_**

_- Rise Against (Injection)_

Soda woke up very suddenly to coughing and a sharp pain in his chest. He gasped in air to his deprived lungs, realizing only after a minute that he had an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. As he began to breathe easier and settle down from the attack he glanced around the room. Everyone was there – Darry, Pony, Two-Bit and Steve – and everyone was fast asleep in their chairs. Soda felt a pang of guilt as he looked at them. They all looked so exhausted and uncomfortable sleeping in chairs around his hospital bed.

As he lay there he took stock of how he was feeling. There was still a dull ache radiating in his chest even though he had stopped coughing, pinching every time he inhaled. His throat was scratched raw from coughing all night. His whole body felt like he had just come from the losing side of a rumble. His head hurt as well and as he looked around the room everything looked a bit fuzzy. He was also burning up. He shifted around a bit, carefully trying to push the blanket that was covering him off, taking care to try not to bother Pony who was asleep with his head on the edge of the bed.

Despite his efforts to be quiet somehow Darry seemed to sense the movement as he began to stir. Slowly his eyes blinked open, seeming to take a moment to begin to understand his surroundings. As his gaze fell on Soda he suddenly looked concerned, though Soda wasn't really sure why.

"Hey little buddy," Darry said gently, leaning forward. "You okay? You need anythin'?"

Soda hated asking for anything especially when Darry looked so worn out but his throat burned so painfully and he could hardly stand it. "Water," he mumbled through the clear oxygen mask. "Cold water." Just those few words burned in the back of his throat.

"Sure, hang on," Darry said, getting up. While he waited Soda shifted uncomfortably in bed, trying and failing to find a more comfortable position. Darry came back in a few minutes later holding a small glass with water. "The nurse said you can only have a little," he told him.

Soda nodded. He figured a little was better than none. With Darry's help he shifted up farther on his pillows so that he was in more of a sitting position. The movement caused Pony to stir and Soda felt bad as he watched his little brother lift his head and blink around sleepily. Carefully Soda pulled the oxygen mask away from his mouth, finding that the air around him seemed somehow thicker and harder to breathe without it. He gratefully took the glass that Darry offered him and took several small sips, sighing in relief as the cool water washed over his raw throat.

"Thanks," he said as he handed the glass back to Darry.

"Sure, little buddy," he said, placing the glass on the bedside table. Next to him Pony stretched and yawned. Darry watched as Soda carefully pulled the oxygen mask back over his face. "Do you know how long you've had that?" he asked slowly. Soda looked at him, confused. "The oxygen mask," he clarified.

"I dunno," Soda said. "Just woke up with it."

"They put that on maybe an hour ago," Pony spoke up, looking over at Darry. "He was gasping for breath in his sleep so Steve went and got a nurse. He started breathing a lot better with it on." Soda found it odd listening to all this when he didn't remember any of it.

"Did the doctor come back?" Darry asked.

Pony nodded. "His temperature had gone up a little when the doctor checked it, but it's come down a little last time I saw a nurse check it."

"I'm right here you know," Soda mumbled, feeling annoyed that his little brother was talking about him like he wasn't even there.

"Sorry," Pony said sheepishly.

"Did he say anythin' else?" Darry asked Pony.

Pony hesitated, sending an unsure glance over at Soda, which made him nervous. "Well… yeah. I guess it was gettin' harder to Soda to breathe because there was more fluid in his lungs. He said that if it gets worse they might have to drain it with a needle."

Soda felt his stomach twist uncomfortably at this news as he swallowed and winced. That thought didn't sound very pleasant. The anxiety must have been clear on his face because Darry shot him a sympathetic look and Pony suddenly looked like he wished he hadn't said anything. Soda took in a calming breath under his oxygen mask, but even with the mask it felt a bit like he was trying to suck the air in through a straw. He knew that that didn't bode well for him. And that made him nervous.

"It's gonna be okay," Darry said gently, reaching a hand out toward him.

Against his instincts he pulled away from Darry's touch. "You don't know that," he murmured, with more emotion in his voice than he realized that he was feeling.

Darry gave him a pained expression. Soda looked away, staring up at the ceiling. What would it be like, he wondered, to never leave this hospital? The thought was scary. But what scared him even more were those he'd leave behind. He could remember so vividly holding a sobbing, inconsolable Pony at their parents' funeral. He could remember how Darry hardened after mom and dad died. And what about Steve? He was the one who kept Steve out of trouble; they were as good as brothers. And then Two-Bit, he felt as much as the rest of them. Suddenly he could picture a gravestone… a coffin… his friends and family gathered around a six-foot hole in the ground…

"Soda." Darry's voice was steady and firm. "Sodapop Curtis, look at me." Soda reluctantly tore his gaze away from the ceiling and looked at his big brother. He realized that his eyes were full of tears as he tried to focus on him. "Either way, no matter what happens, I promise you it's gonna be okay."

Soda swallowed painfully and then was struck by another coughing fit. He gasped for breath between coughs, but he felt like he was getting less and less air in. He started to panic. He looked over at Pony, who looked frightened, and reached for his hand.

"He okay?" Soda looked around and saw that both Steve and Two-Bit were sitting up, eyes open.

"I'm gonna get a nurse," Darry said, standing up. Soda sent him a panicked look, but he was already turning away and didn't see it. He wanted to tell him not to go but he couldn't find enough air to speak. Instead he just gripped Pony's hand for comfort.

Thankfully Darry was back a minute later, a nurse in tow. She began checking him over, a worried look on her face. She didn't stay long, saying that she needed to get the doctor. That didn't comfort Soda at all.

"Try and stay calm," Darry said, returning to his seat. His voice was calm but Soda could see panic bubbling just behind his eyes. "Take deep breaths, Soda."

Soda continued to struggled to get in air. It was getting more difficult instead of less. Finally Dr. Miller came hurrying in. Darry got up again and moved out of the way, circling to the other side of the bed where Steve and Two-Bit were. Pony stayed where he was but shifted down a little bit, still keeping a firm hold on his hand, which Soda was grateful for. Dr. Miller only took a few minutes to listen to his chest before he straightened up and focused on Darry.

"Like we feared, the fluid around his lungs has increased," he said. "Its causing a strain on his body and if we don't drain it now then his body isn't going to last."

Soda felt his stomach twist into a sickening knot. He squeezed Pony's hand.

"What can we do?" Darry asked tensely.

"We need to drain the fluid immediately," Dr. Miller said.

Soda let out a groan. Suddenly it was unbearably hot. He shifted uncomfortably. A moment later he felt a cool hand on his forehead.

"I think his fever is spiking." He heard Darry's voice but suddenly it sounded far away. He found it odd that the ceiling seemed to be spinning.

"His grip in weakening." Pony's voice sounded scared.

"We need to do it now." The doctor's voice was the last that Soda heard as suddenly everything went black.

XxXxX

Darry watched with edging panic as Soda's eyes suddenly rolled to show the whites as his eyelids slid closed in one fluid motion.

"Do it, do whatever you have to," Darry said quickly.

The doctors gave the nurse some orders and she hurried out of the room. The doctor was all business at that point. He reached up and took Soda's pulse. He pulled Soda's eyes open and shined a flashlight into them. He listened to his chest with his stethoscope. Then he pulled the top of Soda's hospital gown down just as the nurse was hurrying into the room with a tray of equipment.

"He's still stable," Dr. Miller explained quickly as he worked. "The loss of consciousness is most likely due to a spike in his fever. His breathing appears shallow but he is still getting enough air for now."

That seemed vaguely comforting, but Darry still couldn't take his eyes off his brother. The doctor quickly cleaned off part of his chest before taking a syringe off the tray the nurse had brought him. Darry watched as he carefully inserted the needle in between two of Soda's ribs before slowly pulling out of the plunger. The syringe started filling with a light yellowish-greenish liquid. Soda's face remained impassive throughout the whole thing and Darry found himself feeling a bit grateful that he had fallen unconscious so that he didn't have to feel the pain.

Darry was so focused on Soda that when he heard a crash he had no idea what had happened at first. Then he looked over, took in Pony's limp figure on the floor, and felt his panic regarding this entire situation finally break through.

"Ponyboy!" he practically shouted and he hurried around the bed and dropped to his youngest brother's side.

Two-Bit had been quicker to react than Darry had and was already crouched down next to Pony. Steve had half risen from his chair, frozen in place with his eyes wide at the sight. Completely forgetting that they were in a hospital with hospital staff only feet away, Darry took charge as he felt for Pony's pulse and checked him over for any injuries. Thankfully after just a minute or two Pony's eyes were already fluttering open again. He looked disoriented and felt cold and clammy to the touch.

"Guess watchin' goop gettin' sucked out of his brother's chest by a giant needle was a little too much for him," Two-Bit said lightly.

"This actually fairly common." Darry was a little startled when the nurse suddenly appeared at Pony's head, feeling his neck for injuries. "He's alright, but he needs to hydrate."

"Darry?" Pony mumbled, confused.

"It's okay, kiddo," Darry assured him gently. "You just passed out for a second. Can you sit up?"

Pony slowly pushed himself up off the floor. As Darry helped him to his feet Two-Bit brought a chair over for him, carefully angling it so that he wasn't looking at Soda when he sat in it. The nurse had returned with a glass of water and handed it to Pony, who still looked a little disoriented, like he wasn't quite sure what had happened. Darry shot Two-Bit a look and Two-Bit took his meaning as he moved closer to Pony, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder so that Darry could move away to talk to the doctor who had finished the procedure and was now standing over by the door.

"He's doing well," Dr. Miller told him, indicating Soda. He spoke in a slight undertone probably to keep from being overheard by Pony, who clearly didn't need any more stress right now. Darry glanced over at Soda to see that he appeared to be resting a lot more peacefully and his breathing seemed less labored under the oxygen mask. "Taking out that fluid has taken a lot of the strain off his body. It also gives his system a window of opportunity to fight this infection. We should know a lot in these next few hours. If the fluid builds up again we may need to place a chest tube in order to continually drain it. For now we will just continue to keep a close eye on him."

Darry nodded. "Thank you." As the doctor left he turned back into the room, returning to Pony's side. "How're you feelin', Pony?"

"Better," Pony said. The color was starting to come back in his face. He looked down at the cup he held in his hands, clearly embarrassed as he started to understand what had happened. "Sorry… I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Darry assured him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, you got nothin' to be sorry for."

"Hey Darry," Two-Bit spoke up. He moved over to him and led him a few steps away, speaking softly. "You know you gotta go soon if you wanna get to work." Darry sighed heavily. He had almost forgotten about work. But he didn't know how he could leave now with everything that had just happened in the past ten minutes. The reluctance must have been clear on his face. "I know there's a lot goin' on right now, but me an' Steve will handle it. We'll call you if anything happens." Darry still hesitated. "The doc said that we won't know anythin' definite about Soda's condition for a few more hours anyway."

"Yeah, okay," Darry finally relented, running a hand through his hair. He moved back over to Pony. "I gotta get to work, kiddo," he said, his tone flat. "You gonna be okay here with Steve and Two-Bit."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Pony told him, though clearly he still looked a bit shook up from the ordeal.

He gave him a grateful smile before turning and walking over to Soda. Even though he was still unconscious he placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll be back, little buddy," he said.

"We'll keep an eye on him," Steve reiterated.

Darry nodded, knowing that they would do exactly that. And with a heavy heart he turned and walked out the door.

XxXxX

As the morning went on things were pretty quiet and it was much less eventful than the early morning had been. Soda continued to rest and though he was still coughing his breathing at least remained less labored. Pony also calmed down and was able to move his chair back beside Soda's bed after a while. Two-Bit stayed next to him just in case and nurses kept on bringing in glasses of water for him.

Everyone in the room was exhausted and they would each periodically drift off in their chairs, only to jerk back awake a short time later. They hardly left their chairs. Two-Bit took Pony outside at one point to smoke and brought back breakfast but other than that they all stayed planted where they were, wondering which way this day was going to go.

It was a little after lunchtime but no one had the appetite for it. Steve glanced around the room. Pony's eyelids were drooping, though he was fighting hard against them. Two-Bit yawned loudly, probably mostly just to break up some of the silence in the room. Steve rolled his aching shoulder back, feeling stiff from sitting in this chair for so long. He was supposed to be working later that day, but he was still debating whether or not he was actually going to show up. He knew that the money would sure come in handy, but it was just so difficult to think about leaving Soda's side right now. Though he supposed he probably should be following Darry's lead.

He was right in the middle of this train of thought when he looked at Soda and gave a start. For the first time since the procedure this morning his eyes were open, though they weren't focused on anything as he stared straight ahead at the ceiling about him.

"Soda?" Steve said carefully.

This caused both Two-Bit and Pony to sit up, looking more alert as they looked over at Soda. Soda slowly turned his head at the sound of Steve's voice and to Steve's surprise he could see a light smile forming under the oxygen mask.

"Hey," Soda murmured quietly so that it was barely audible through the mask over his nose and mouth.

Steve reached over and placed a hand on Soda's forehead. He couldn't help but smile. "I think his fever's breakin'."

"I'll get the nurse," Two-Bit said, jumping up and hurrying from the room.

"How're you feelin'?" Pony asked hopefully.

"Tired," Soda sighed.

"Yeah, well, you need that beauty rest," Steve joked lightly, a bit giddy with the relief of seeing Soda so coherent.

Soda coughed a small laugh at that. Just then Two-Bit came back into the room with a nurse following behind him. She immediately checked Soda's temperature, smiling at what she saw.

"102.2," she reported. "His fever is breaking." She listened to his chest with her stethoscope. "His chest still sounds clear as well. This is all really good news. I'll let the doctor know right away, he'll want to do another chest x-ray to confirm."

"You hear that, Soda?" Two-Bit said with a grin. "Seems like that immune system of yours finally stopped slackin' off."

"'Bout time," Soda said with a laugh.

And even as Soda began drifting off to sleep again there was an amazing amount of relief in the room. Suddenly it seemed like everything was going to be okay. Somehow Soda had defied odds once again and come through a life-threatening situation. At this point the group was feeling indestructible. At this point they were finally feeling like everything was going to be okay. Clearly Soda's immune system was finally bouncing back from his original infection. The doctor had said that he would continue to improve. It really looked like they were going to come through whole ordeal this with all of the members of their gang intact.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

_Hello, are you still chasing  
The memories in shadows  
Some stay young, some grow old  
Come alive, there are thoughts unclear  
You can never hide_

_- Shinedown (I Dare You)_

It was an especially long and trying day for Darry. He was dead tired and terribly distracted after everything that had happened in the hospital that morning. At one point he missed a nail and hammered his finger instead. He was grateful when he found that is wasn't broken, just badly bruised. He made it through most of the day, but then around three in the afternoon his boss called him over.

"You feelin' alright, Darrel?" his boss asked. "You seem a little off today."

"Sorry sir," Darry said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I'm a little distracted today. My brother's back in the hospital with pneumonia."

"Is it bad?" his boss asked, sounding surprised.

Darry sighed. "Yeah, it's pretty bad," he admitted.

"What are you doin' here then?" his boss asked. "You coulda taken the day off."

"We need the money," Darry said simply.

"Oh," his boss said, sounding vaguely surprised, though Darry wasn't quite sure why. It shouldn't be a very surprising statement. He was quiet for a moment. "Why don't you take off early?"

Darry gave him a strange look. Had he not been listening? "I really can't," he said reluctantly. "We really need the money."

"I know," his boss said. "I'll put you down for a full day. Go ahead, go see your brother."

Darry just stared for a moment. He half expected his boss to start laughing and say he was kidding, but his expression was dead serious. "Thank you, sir," he said, unable to keep the shock out of his voice. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

Without questioning his boss any further Darry turned and hurried over to where his truck was parked. He was relieved to be able to head back over to the hospital already. He hadn't had a chance to call and check in with anyone today and hadn't heard from them either. He knew if something really bad had happened they would have called him but he still felt anxious.

The hospital was far too familiar as he moved through the halls, the too bright fluorescent lights a bit harsh on his tired eyes. He made his way back up to Soda's hospital room almost without thinking about where he was going. As he walked into the room he braced himself for a similar sight as the one he had left this morning. But he was surprised with what he found.

Two-Bit was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest; his head rolling to one side and his mouth wide open, snoring lightly. He was fast asleep. Steve was sitting on the other side of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and a slight smile on his face. Next he took in Pony's form. He was sprawled out in the hospital bed next to Soda, also fast asleep. Soda had shifted over in bed to make room for Pony and had an arm around him. He still had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and an IV in his opposite hand. His eyes were open and his head was turned toward Steve, obviously they had been in the middle of a conversation. They both turned to look at Darry as he entered the room.

"Hey Darry," Soda said. His voice was a bit muffled by the mask and his tone was tired, but he was awake and coherent. That was more than Darry had been expecting.

"Hey, little buddy," Darry said with a smile as he approached the bed. Out of habit more than anything he carefully reached over Pony to feel Soda's forehead. It was still warm but he wasn't burning up anymore. "How are you feelin'?"

"Better," Soda told him. "Still tired though."

"His fever broke just a couple hours ago," Steve spoke up. "It's still up but he's been awake an' aware an' stuff."

"Doc took me for an x-ray," Soda inputted. He coughed lightly, wincing a bit.

"What did it show?" Darry asked, carefully taking the vacated seat next to the sleeping Two-Bit. He didn't even stir, completely out like a light.

"We don't know yet," Steve said. "We're still waitin' for the results."

Darry nodded. He looked over at Pony, dead asleep. "How's Pony been?"

"He's been fine," Steve said. "He was still a little shaky after you left but he calmed down and he's seemed okay since."

"What was wrong with Pony?" Soda asked worriedly, glancing down at his younger brother.

"He passed out earlier," Darry said. "Just for a minute though." He amended himself quickly as he saw the look of concern on Soda's face.

"Why'd he pass out?" Soda asked.

Darry hesitated, wondering how to explain what had happened. "They had to drain the fluid out of your lungs with a needle," he finally said carefully, not real sure if he knew this or not. He didn't seem surprised at the information so the others must have already told him this. "It was a lot for Pony to watch. I think the stress of it all just caused him to pass out for a minute."

"Oh," Soda said. He ran a hand affectionately through Pony's hair, frowning slightly. Pony shifted a bit but didn't wake up. Darry was glad he was getting some sleep. He kept remembering how Pony had looked passed out on the floor of Soda's hospital room and he couldn't help but feel guilty. He should have been watching him more carefully. He had to remember that despite everything he couldn't let himself get too distracted with Soda's plight, he still had Pony to look after too. "Sorry, Pone," Soda mumbled though Pony was still fast asleep.

"He'll just be happy you're gettin' better," Darry assured him.

It was another twenty minutes before the doctor showed up. He smiled at them as he entered and Darry could feel his heart lift, sensing good news.

"Darrel, welcome back," Dr. Miller greeted. "Have you been brought up to speed on Soda's progress today?"

"Yeah, I have," Darry confirmed.

"Good," Dr. Miller said. "Overall we have good news. His fever has continued to improve over the last few hours and along with that his coherency. We just did a chest x-ray and there is significantly less fluid around his lungs. He still needs to stay here at least a few more days for observation, but I feel confident that he will be back home soon."

Darry smiled. "Thank you, doc," he said.

"Of course," Dr. Miller said. "We will continue to keep a close eye on him. And Sodapop, you continue to get plenty of rest."

"Yes sir," Soda said with a smile.

"I'll check on you again later." And with that the doctor turned and headed out of the room.

"I gotta get goin'," Steve said after the doctor had left. "I gotta get to work."

"Thanks for bein' here," Soda said.

"Sure, buddy," Steve said, reaching down and giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "I'll be back after work, okay?"

"You should go home and sleep after work," Soda said, looking reluctant.

"Naw, I'm okay," Steve said with a dismissive wave of his hand, despite the tired bags under his eyes. He stood and quite clearly suppressed a yawn as he stretched. He winced slightly, an aftereffect of his cracked ribs. "I'll see you guys later."

"See ya, Steve," Darry said. "Be careful."

"Will do," Steve said, waving lazily as he walked out of the room.

Darry turned back to Soda who was watching Steve leave, a slight edge of worry in his eyes. "He'll be fine," Darry assured him. "Now you heard the doctor. Get some rest, Pepsi-Cola." Soda nodded slightly. He looked tired anyway. Darry watched him as his eyes slowly fluttered shut and his muscles relaxed. He looked peaceful, as did Pony. Darry leaned back in his chair, feeling contented. "It's gonna be okay, Soda," he said quietly, and truly believing it. "It's gonna be okay."

XxXxX

Over the course of the next few days Soda continued to improve. Everyone was forced to go back to school and work, but other than that they practically lived at Soda's bedside. This was less out of worry at this point now that he was getting better and more of an attempt to keep him from getting too bored. He was taken off oxygen the next day and his breathing came much easier. It took three days for his fever to completely dissipate.

"I want to go home," Soda moaned. It was three days after he was admitted to the hospital. Everyone was gathered in his hospital room, including Dr. Miller. They had been discussing whether or not to keep Soda for another night. Soda found the option unacceptable. He was so tired of being in the hospital.

"We just want to be sure, Soda," Darry tried to assure him. "We don't want to take you home too soon and just have you end up back here again."

"Like I said, if we were to keep him another night it would just be a precaution," the doctor went on. "Really he is out of the danger zone and there is no longer any real need for him to be here. As long as you keep an eye on him like you have been and bring him back if his temperature goes back up, he should be fine."

"See?" Soda said pointedly.

Darry laughed lightly. "Okay, little buddy," he said.

"Really?" Soda said slowly, not sure if he was being serious or just placating him.

"Yeah, really," Darry told him. "You get packed up and I'll go fill out the paperwork."

Soda couldn't help but grin at the thought of sleeping in his own bed tonight. "Thanks, Darry," he said. He knew that the whole ordeal had put Darry really on edge, between Soda being in the hospital _again_ and then Pony passing out. He could be really overprotective, especially when things were out of his control. And Soda understood that it was because he cared so much, but at the same time Soda just couldn't stand this hospital bed any longer.

As Darry left Soda got up out of bed and started getting dressed again. He was really feeling good and could definitely feel his strength returning as he was able to do the task on his own as Pony, Steve and Two-Bit gathered up other odds and ends that had ended up around the room the past couple days. When Darry came back with a wheelchair Soda protested, but was trumped by hospital policy. He made a face to let everyone know that he wasn't happy about it as he sat in the chair, but as they moved through the hallways he couldn't help but feel a smile break through. He was going home, after all. And he could only hope he wouldn't end up back here again.

Outside of the hospital Soda walked across the parking lot on his own and climbed up into the front seat of the truck. As usual Pony slid in next to him while Two-Bit and Steve jumped into the bed of the truck. Darry climbed into the drivers seat, started up the truck, and took off.

Soda could remember the last time he had left the hospital. He had still been in pain and every time Two-Bit had taken a sharp turn he had felt his wounds crying out. It had been bittersweet because he was happy to finally go home but the pain was a reminder that he should probably still be in the hospital. This time was different though. This time he was healed. He still felt tired and a little achy, but more like he was getting out a bad case of the flu rather than hit by a semi truck.

Back at home everything was just as it always was. Darry cooked dinner and they all ate around the living room. Everything seemed normal as they chatted and joked around, though Soda did note that Steve seemed a little quieter than usual. He brushed it off for now though. For now he was just happy to be home again.

As Darry began cleaning up dinner Soda felt his eyes begin to sag. Pony was next to him on the couch and had turned the TV on and Soda leaned on his shoulder a bit as he drifted off into a contented sleep.

XxXxX

Steve followed Darry into the kitchen, carrying some of the dirty plates for him. He was lost in his own head for a while, hardly paying attention to any of the conversation all through dinner. When he glanced back out into the living room he could see Soda drifting off on the couch with Pony. He seemed happy to be home, and Steve couldn't blame him. Something was bothering him though and he knew he had to tell Darry about it. He just wasn't real sure how to do it.

"Hey Darry," Steve said, turning back into the kitchen. Darry glanced over at him from where he was loading the dirty dishes into the sink. "When's Soda goin' back to work?"

"The doc said he could go back in a few days as long as he was careful about washin' his hands," Darry said. He paused then sent Steve a quizzical look as he flipped the tap on. "Why?"

"I dunno if that's such a good idea," Steve said slowly, walking over to where Darry was standing in an attempt to not be overhead by the people in the living room.

"Why not?" Darry asked, studying Steve carefully.

"I dunno…" Steve said slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "Somethin' just seems… off at the station."

"What do you mean?" Steve paused again and Darry turned to face him squarely, his face suddenly serious. "Out with it, Steve. What's goin' on?"

"Maybe I'm just bein' paranoid," Steve said slowly. "I mean, I really haven't seen anythin'. I don't think anyway. But you know how Soda thought he saw someone standing on the other side of the road a while back when he first started workin' again?" Darry nodded, his expression solemn. Clearly he could guess where Steve was going with this little speech. "Well the past two nights… I think I've seen someone too. It's always after dark so I can't really get a real good look. Someone just stands there for a while and then just disappears. It's really weird."

"Well, we've all been kinda on edge since it happened," Darry tried to reason, clearly grasping at straws.

"Yeah, that's what I tried to keep tellin' myself," Steve said. "And it'd be easier to shake off… if that's all it was."

"What do you mean if that's all it was?" Darry asked.

"Something else happened," Steve said reluctantly.

"What happened." Darry said it more like a statement than a question, dread in his voice.

Steve sighed. "I was talkin' with John earlier today. He's been coverin' a bunch of shifts lately, tryin' to make some extra cash. But he was saying somethin' weird happened just the other day. He said he was workin' in the store when some guy walked in. He was buying a pack of cigarettes and they got to talkin'. He was askin' a lot of questions about the night the DX got robbed."

"Well everyone knows about that," Darry said slowly. "That doesn't really mean anythin'."

Steve nodded. "I know," he said. "It's just… John said that he seemed real interested in the worker who got shot that night. Wanted to know if he still worked there. And he seemed nervous, he kept glancin' behind him like he was afraid someone was gonna come in or somethin'. Then he just bought his cigarettes and left. He said he practically ran out the door."

Darry was quiet for a minute as he tried to absorb this. "If it was the guy… what I don't get is why he's still hangin' around? Why doesn't he just take off if he's so afraid of gettin' caught? He could be in Mexico by now."

Steve shrugged. "You got me," he said. "All I know is… I don't like it."

Darry sighed. "Yeah, I don't either." He moved over to the doorway to the living room, taking in Soda's peaceful form fast asleep on Pony's shoulder. Pony was completely absorbed in whatever he was watching on TV and Two-Bit had disappeared, noises for down the hall indicating that he had probably gone to the bathroom. "We could keep him home for a while… but I dunno how much good that'll do. We can't keep him here forever. Eventually he'll have to go back to work."

"I'm thinkin' about goin' to Tim," Steve said slowly. "See if he'll lend me a heater. Maybe he'll even have a few of his guys hang around the DX while Soda's workin'."

Darry nodded. "That's not a bad idea," he said and Steve was a little surprised that he wasn't against him getting a heater. Or maybe he hadn't really registered the first part of the statement. He seemed a little lost in thought as he gazed at his two brothers on the couch. "But let's not tell Soda. He doesn't need that stress right now."

"Yeah, okay," Steve agreed.

"You gotta be careful too," Darry said, turning to look at Steve. "That guy can recognize you too."

"Yeah, I'm careful," Steve said thoughtlessly.

Darry sighed. "Thanks for lettin' me know."

"Yeah, no problem," Steve said, his voice flat.

He knew that he had to tell Darry about what happened, but he still felt a bit guilty about having to bear the news. Today was supposed to be a happy occasion as they brought Soda home from the hospital. Instead it just ended up being a reminder that as long as that guy was still out there and free that this wasn't over yet.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

_Another truth you can never believe  
Has crippled you completely  
All the cries you're beginning to hear  
Trapped in your mind, and the sound is deafening_

_Let me enlighten you_  
_This is the way I pray_

_- Disturbed (Prayer)_

The next day Steve was making his way down a street in a particularly bad part of town. It wasn't a destination that he had visited often, but everyone knew where Tim Shepard lived. He didn't often spend a lot of time at his actual house, most nights he could be found at Bucks which had been Steve's first stop. But when Buck said he hadn't seen him Steve decided to check out the house.

It was a run-down house, even by Greaser's standards. It wasn't hard to imagine how the two Shepard boys had turned out so tough just by looking at where they grew up. It wasn't exactly a warm and fuzzy household. Steve jumped up onto the front porch, skipping the steps altogether since it didn't look like they would hold his weight. He felt a little apprehensive as he knocked, not sure how he'd react if anyone other than Tim or Curly answered the door. He was relieved when it was Tim himself who came to the door, blinking sleepily even though it was well into the afternoon.

"What're you doin' here, Randle?" Tim muttered through the screen door, squinting at him in the sunlight and looking confused.

"I need a favor," Steve said.

"Come back durin' business hours," Tim mumbled as he started to turn away.

"C'mon, Tim, just take a minute," Steve said. Tim paused, considering. "It's important."

Tim sighed before he turned back and shoved open the screen. "Alright. Come in." Steve walked over the threshold into the Shepard household. If he thought his house was messy with just him and his dad and neither on them interested in cleaning at all, it was nothing compared to this house. "Make it fast."

Steve turned to him, knowing he had to get right to the point if he wanted to keep Tim's attention. "I need a heater."

Tim blinked at him for a moment. Clearly he hadn't been expecting that. "What the hell you needa heater for?"

"We think that guy who shot Soda is still hangin' around the DX," he said. "I wanna be ready in case he tries to finish was he started."

Tim was still staring at him like he had three heads. "I ain't givin' you a heater." He said it like it was the most obvious statement in the world.

Steve was a little surprised. He didn't think it was going to take much convincing since Tim had seemed so willing to help out before. "I just need to borrow it, I'll give it back."

Tim shook his head. "I don't need Darry bustin' my head in for givin' you a loaded gun."

That statement took Steve completely off guard and it took him a minute to finally figure out how to respond. "Darry ain't my guardian," he pointed out.

"He might as well be," Tim said simply.

"Well he said it was fine when I mentioned it to him yesterday," Steve tried stubbornly.

"Yeah, but was he _really_ listenin'?" Tim demanded. Steve was quiet at that. He knew full well Darry had been distracted when he had mentioned it and probably hadn't really thought much about what he was actually saying. "Darry's got a lot on his plate right now, he don't need me arming his brother's hot-headed friend so that he can go do somethin' stupid."

"Darry ain't the boss of me," Steve said, starting to get worked up. He didn't like being treated like a child.

"Even so," Tim said stoically as he turned and walked away from Steve. "I gave Dally a heater. And look how well that turned out."

Steve just stared as Tim moved over to the couch and sat. He opened his mouth several times to respond but just ended up snapping it shut again, feeling like a fish out of water. Tim simply watched him with cool eyes.

"Okay," Steve said finally. "I see your point."

Tim nodded as he leaned back on the couch. "Damn right, you see my point." He pulled a pack of Kools out of his pocket and casually lit up.

Steve sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly feeling small. "Well d'you think some of your guys could hang around the DX while Soda's workin' at least?" he asked.

"Now that is a much more reasonable request," Tim said lazily. "You shoulda opened with that one, Randle."

"So you'll do it?" he asked carefully, a little weary after being turned down with his first request.

"Yeah," Tim said. "You know, I'd like to get my hands on that guy myself for comin' onto our turf like that. Just let me know when Soda's workin' and I'll have my guys there."

Steve nodded, feeling a bit better. At least they had numbers on their side now. "Thanks, Tim."

"Sure," Tim said with a dismissive way of his hand. Then he leaned forward. "If he really is still around, he's gonna be lookin' for trouble, you know that. He won't hide out forever. If he wanted to hide he woulda left long ago. And if he goes anyway near that DX then we got 'em." There was an eagerness behind his tone as he spoke and a spark in his eyes. Tim was always ready for a fight.

"Yeah, I know," Steve said flatly. Usually he was all for a fight too, but he was worried about who was going to get stuck in the middle of it. This seemed much more dangerous than just having it out with the Socs. At least the Socs didn't usually carry around heaters. You kill people with heaters. Steve knew that all too well from experience but also because that was exactly what he had in mind when he was asking Tim for one. "I'll let you know when he's workin'."

"Sounds good, man," Tim said, taking a drag.

Steve took his tone as a dismissal. "Thanks," he said with a wave as he turned and headed out the door.

XxXxX

Soda continued to recover at home for a few more days, but everyone could see that he was quickly going stir crazy being stuck in the house all day. After the first day it probably would have been fine for Soda to go back – health-wise anyway – but Darry managed to convince him to wait a little longer, claiming he was still worried about him being sick. Steve was the only one who knew for sure that that wasn't the real issue anymore though.

Unfortunately they couldn't keep him in a plastic bubble forever. After just a few days there were no more excuses to keep Soda home from work when he demanded to go. Thankfully he still agreed to keep working part time with Steve. Despite having mostly recovered from his bout with pneumonia he was still awfully tired and wasn't really up for working a full shift anyway.

Steve was feeling better about the whole thing when he saw Tim make good on his promise. Like clockwork there was a small group of Tim's guys hanging around outside the DX when they arrived at work each day and there would still be a group of them there all the way up until closing time. If Soda found his odd he didn't say anything about it. It wasn't that it was strange to see Tim's guys around the DX, they were just much more consistent about it all of a sudden. Steve noticed that they even had some sort of shift system going on, so that it wasn't the same group hanging out in the same spot throughout their entire shift. There was usually three or four of them around and Steve knew that if it came down to anything that would be more than enough to deal with one guy.

It was Friday after school and Steve was feeling much more at ease at work, able to focus more on his job without having to worry about if Soda was all right as much. It was getting late and he decided it was time for a break as he wandered into the store. Soda seemed in pretty good spirits, though the darker it got outside the edgier he always seemed.

As Steve was talking he suddenly realized that Soda was no longer listening. He was staring out the front of the store, though instead of looking concerned about something he looked a little confused. Steve cut himself off in mid-sentence and turned to try and see what it was he was looking at.

"Whacha looin' at?" he asked, scanning the darkening streets outside. He tried to sound casual but he could feel his muscles tense, keeping in mind the blade he kept in his back pocket.

Soda nodded outside. "Who's that?"

Steve turned again and this time he saw the figure making his way across the street. It only took him a minute to recognize who it was.

"It's Ponyboy," he said with a shrug.

"What's he doin' here?"

Steve glanced back at Soda, cocking an eyebrow. "Probably came to see you," he said, pointing out what he thought was obvious. Pony used to come all the time to see Soda, so Steve wasn't so sure why he seemed so confused. Though admittedly he hadn't been by since Soda had been shot here.

"Hey," Pony said with a smile as he pushed open the door.

"Hey kid," Steve said after an awkward pause where Soda didn't say anything.

"It was gettin' boring at home," Pony said by way of explanation. "Two-Bit's workin' tonight. Thought I'd stop by." He paused as he took in Soda's face, suddenly looking unsure. "That okay?"

"It's gettin' kinda late, Pony," Soda said slowly. "Darry'll be wonderin' where you are when he gets home from work."

"It's not that late," Pony pointed out, clearly disappointed that Soda didn't seem happy to see him. "And it's Friday night anyway. Darry lets me go out on Friday nights."

"Not by yourself," Soda said.

"I'm not by myself," Pony pointed out stubbornly.

"You walked over here by yourself," Soda said.

"I _always_ walk over here by myself," Pony said, sounding surprised that Soda of all people was making a big deal out of this. Steve was surprised himself. Pony paused. "If you don't want me here I'll go back home…"

Soda sighed heavily as he leaned forward on the counter. "Sorry, Pony," he said flatly. "It's just… you bein' here makes me nervous. With everything that's been goin' on, you know? You're safer at home."

"Well you bein' here makes me nervous too," Pony said matter-of-factly.

Soda opened his mouth to respond and then snapped it shut again. Steve shifted a bit uncomfortably as the silence went on. It was definitely weird for Soda and Pony to act this way around each other.

"Well, I have to be here Pony," Soda finally said tiredly. "And you don't. And trust me, Darry will be upset if he comes home and you're not there where you're supposed to be."

"Fine," Pony said sullenly. "I'll go home then."

Soda shot Steve a quick look and he immediately got his meaning. "Here, Pony, I'll give you a ride real quick," Steve spoke up quickly. "You'll be alright here for ten minutes, right Soda?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Soda said.

Pony shot him an unsure look and seemed about to say something but Steve cut him off before he could even start. "C'mon, kid, let's go." He grabbed Pony's arm and practically pulled him out of the store.

"You're not supposed to be leavin' him here alone," Pony said accusingly as soon as they were out the door.

Steve released his arm as they started toward the parking lot. "I ain't," he said shortly, nodding toward the group of Tim's guys hanging out on the curb just outside the store. There were four of them there tonight.

Pony studied them as they walked by, heading for Steve's car. "Why are Tim's guys here?" he finally asked as he grudgingly got in the car.

"Just helpin' keep an eye out," Steve said vaguely as he started up the car.

"They weren't here before though," Pony said, too observant as usual. "Why are they suddenly keepin' an eye out now? Did somethin' happen?"

Steve sighed heavily as he carefully pulled out of the parking lot. "No, not really," he hedged. "Just tryin' to keep somethin' from happenin'."

"You think somethin's gonna happen?" Pony pressed.

"Last time somethin' happened we didn't think somethin' was gonna happen," Steve pointed out. "We're just trin' to be prepared." He was trying really hard not to go into detail with the kid; he didn't need him worrying as well especially since they were all probably worrying about nothing. Pony was quiet at this. He gazed out the window and seemed to be pouting a bit. "You know Soda didn't mean that he didn't want you around. He's just more nervous than usual after what happened especially when it comes to being around the DX."

"You think he ever won't be?" Pony asked, turning his head to look at Steve. Steve saw much more worry in his eyes than a fourteen year old should have. "You think he'll even not be scared to be at work?"

Steve glanced at him briefly. "I think it'll get better with time," he said finally. "When it's not still fresh in his mind."

"What about if that guy's never caught?" Pony asked.

Steve shrugged. "It was a small robbery," he said. "If that guy was gonna do somethin' about it, it probably already woulda happened by now."

"Is that why you asked Tim to have his gang hang around the DX all of a sudden?" Pony demanded.

Steve glared at him. "Just stay out of it kid," he snapped.

"Why should I stay out of it, he's _my _brother," Pony shot back.

"'Cause you're just a kid," Steve said.

"So are you," Pony insisted. "You ain't eighteen yet."

Steve rolled his eyes as he pulled up in front of the Curtis house. "Home sweet home," he said sarcastically as he angrily threw the car into park.

"Just don't forget, you're not the only one tryin' to help Soda," Pony said as he threw his door open, got out of the car and slammed it shut behind him.

Despite being mad at the kid, Steve stayed put and watched Pony walk all the way up to the house and in through the front door before he threw the car back into drive and took off. As he arrived back at the DX he was glad to see that it appeared that nothing had changed. He headed back into the store just to make sure Soda was still holding up okay.

"He get home okay?" Soda asked immediately from where he sat behind the counter.

"Yeah he did," Steve confirmed.

"He mad at me?" Soda asked reluctantly, making a face.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, by the time we got to your house I think he was more mad at me than you," Steve said with a humorless laugh.

Soda returned the laugh, though he didn't look like he found it all that funny. "Do you think I was too hard on him? Bein' too paranoid?"

Steve sighed. "Look, I get that you're still nervous," he said. "But everythin's gonna be okay. If that guy was gonna try somethin' he's had plenty of chance to and he hasn't."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Soda said. "It's just hard to just forget, you know?"

"I know," Steve said. "But the worst is behind us now. It's gonna be okay. You'll see."

"Thanks Steve," Soda said with a smile.

Steve shrugged. "No big deal," he said. He turned. "I better get some work done if I wanna keep my job."

Soda laughed a real laugh this time. "Yeah, quit slackin' off, man. I'm gonna have to report you."

"You report me, I'll report you right back," Steve shot back with a laugh.

As Steve walked out of the store he had a real smile on his face. For the first time in a long time things felt normal. For the first time in a long time he felt like everything was really going to be okay. Soda had gotten through the bout with pneumonia, which meant his immune system was getting better. Things were actually working out for them for once.


End file.
